Midnight awoke in a meadow filled with beautiful yellow flowers that filled the landscape as far as the eye could see. The occasional green of the grass pushed through the flowerbed to break the sea of yellow that so completely encircled her. Sitting happily in the center of the beautiful field was a small tree, it's branches and leaves seemingly pulled to one side to provide shade especially for her as she slept.

She swiveled her head from side to side, taking in her surroundings as she sat upright. It was a truly beautiful sight. Calming and relaxing. The sun's heat penetrated through the tree's leaves just enough to fill the ground she was now sitting on with a wonderful warmth. There was a slight breeze that made the air cool and welcoming.

"What the... Wasn't I just with David? Where am I?" Midnight asked to nobody in particular.

"You're in a dream. Your dream to be specific." A voice came from above.

"Gah!" Midnight shouted as the foreign voice startled her out from under the tree.

A blue fog began seeping out of the branches and leaves, forming into a cloud before lowering itself to the ground and shaping itself into a pony. Then, in a brilliant flash of white light, the cloud dissipated, and in its place stood Princess Luna.

"Princess!?" Midnight exclaimed before bowing.

"There's no need for that here, Midnight. We're in your dream after all. Let's talk like friends. Rise, I wish to speak with you about David." Luna said calmly.

"What about him? Did his nightmare come back?" Midnight asked as she rose to her hooves.

"No, actually, quite the opposite. I entered his dream as soon as I saw it. It was the same nightmare as always, but then something peculiar happened. David was in a fog as I've come to expect in his dreams, only this time, he was running from something terrible. It seemed as if he was in fear for his life... But then the fog simply vanished. Almost instantly, a pleasant warmth overtook the dreamscape. An ocean appeared before him, and a beautiful, sandy beach rose beneath his feet. He went from frantic, to peaceful. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him so calm. It was like all his fears and regrets simply faded away."

"That's fantastic news! I'm so glad to hear that!" Midnight shouted with a little more enthusiasm than she meant to.

"Indeed it is. My question is how? Obviously you had something to do with it, so I came here as soon as I was certain my eyes weren't deceiving me, to ask; How did you do it? How did you stop his nightmare?" Luna asked with genuine curiosity.

"Uh hehe... well... We went to the bar last night, and when we got back, I couldn't sleep. I went downstairs and I heard David. When I went into his room, I saw him thrashing around, obviously having another nightmare like you said. I wanted to help, but I didn't know what to do. That's when I remembered something my mom did when I used to have nightmares and I tried it on him... and it worked!" Midnight said, barely hiding her embarrassment.

"Okay... So what exactly did you do?" Luna asked, motioning for Midnight to continue.

"Well, I... kinda... cuddled with him..."

"You did what?"

"I... you know... cuddled with him..."

"Oh for the love of- Will you just spit it out!?" Luna asked, growing increasingly frustrated with Midnight's sudden shyness.

"I cuddled with him!" Midnight forced the words out, then hid her flushed face and beat red cheeks from Luna's gaze.

"You... cuddled with him?" Luna asked with a dumbfounded expression.

"...Yes..."

Luna snickered, then began to giggle, then completely burst into laughter, causing Midnight's already red face to turn an even brighter shade of red. The alicorn princess completely lost her composure and her giggling fit showed no signs of ending any time soon. Midnight went through embarrassment before, as did any pony, but having the Princess of the Night laughing at her was a whole new experience.

Eventually, Luna managed to control her giggling and compose herself, finding Midnight's sad, frowning face and scrunched up muzzle to be an indication to stop.

"Oh Midnight, relax. I'm not laughing at what you did, I'm laughing at how embarrassed you were by it. I mean, all that trouble to get you to spill it over that. Ponies cuddle with each other all the time. It's not a big deal. You know that."

"I... I know... but it's... it's just different when it's with somepony you... kinda... like... you know?" Midnight said, shifting on her hooves.

"Wait. What do you mean? You like David? As in... Like like?" Luna asked, suddenly puzzled.

There was a long silence in the air as Midnight thought over Luna's question.

"Well, I mean... He is super cute, and I love spending time with him... He gets my jokes, he's silly, and funny. Maybe... maybe I do..."

"...Yes..." Midnight spoke, finally.

"Oh... Midnight I'm so sorry for laughing at you. I didn't realize you felt that way about David already." Luna apologized.

Midnight tilted her head at Luna's last words.

"Wait, what do you mean already? You knew I was going to feel this way about him?" Midnight asked, confusion evident in her voice.

"Well, no. I didn't know you and David would fall for each other, but Cadence assured us it would happen. When you spend so much time with somepony that you like, that tends to happen. I simply thought that if David did end up loving a pony, he'd be very lucky to love a pony like you." Luna replied with a smile.

Midnight sighed.

"Thank you, Princess, but that's just it though... I don't know if he feels the same way. He doesn't even know we're cuddling right now, and he's never really shown a real romantic interest in anypony... let alone me... I mean, I know I tease him a lot and get him flustered, and it's always just in good fun, but I don't want to ruin our relationship by crossing a line I shouldn't. I mean, what if asking him out pushes him away? What if he doesn't even want to be in a relationship at all? What if he's only interested in dating his own kind and the idea of dating a pony is gross and wrong to him?"

Midnight's words hung in the air for several seconds before the night princess spoke again.

"Midnight, you know as well as I do that those things simply aren't true. David has shown and stated over and over again that he loves ponies, not just because of the kindness he's been shown by you and several others, but because he sees so much of his own kind in us. He wouldn't be disgusted by the notion of dating a pony, besides, you know David better than anyone. I'm sure that if he could love any pony in Equestria, it'd be you. You saved his life, you took him into your home, and you gave him your friendship freely. In all honesty, he probably feels the same way about you. He's probably just as scared as you are to admit it." Luna said, with a sly grin.

"You.... You really think so?"

"I do. I think you and David would make a lovely couple, but don't take my word for it. Ask Cadence. If anypony would know for sure, it'd be her. In fact, she's in Canterlot right now. She wanted Flurry Heart to meet her grandparents before Hearth's Warming Eve. If I was you, I would ask her soon. She'll be far too busy with family matters in a few days."

Midnight sighed.

"I want to... I'm just so scared. I've never been good at relationships and I don't want to ruin what we have. If telling David how I feel, ruined our relationship, I'd never forgive myself..." Midnight said, tears forming in her eyes.

"Midnight Shadow, I... I cannot claim to know for sure whether a relationship between you and David will work out or not, but I do know one thing. I know that if you don't try, you will never know for sure. What would you rather do? Ask, and have a chance at love and happiness with somepony you genuinely know and care for? Or, keep your feelings to yourself, and he ends up finding another mare. A stallion like David won't have any trouble finding love here, Midnight."

Midnight's shoulders slumped in defeat. This conversation wasn't making things any easier for her. She sat there for a long while, deep in thought, before she finally found the words to speak.

"I... I'll talk to Princess Cadence... See what she says... Then I'll go from there."

"A fine idea, Midnight Shadow. I truly hope you make the right decision from there. Unfortunately, I cannot help you any further with this matter. I can only leave you with the advice that I have already given. Good Luck." Luna said, turning away to leave Midnight's dream.

"Wait!" Midnight called out.

"Hmm?"

"Uh... could you... wake me up real quick? I want to get up before David does..."

Luna chuckled.

"Of course. I'll wake you up, but be aware, the sun has already risen. David may awake when you try to move."

"Hehe... I hope not... He did drink a lot last night so hopefully that'll keep him under while I make my escape."

"Very well. Goodbye, Midnight Shadow. I hope that the next time we meet, you'll have good news to share with me."

With that, Luna's horn glowed a bright white light, and she was gone.

"... Wait! Does this mean I can have my job ba-"

Midnight was cut off when a bright light filled her vision and her dream faded away.

Midnight's eyes shot open and the world around her quickly came into focus. She was still in David's room, laying on his bed with both of his arms still wrapped around her. She turned her head to look outside and saw that the sun was bathing the outside world in its warmth. It was already getting late in the morning. Midnight had little time to move before David would wake up, but the way his arms were wrapped around her made it impossible for her to move without waking him.

Midnight willed her horn to life, trying her best to keep it from glowing too brightly. A bright blue light mere inches away from his face would definitely wake David up. She slowly wrapped her magic around his right arm, and began to gently pry it off her chest. Luckily, his hand wasn't pinned under her weight, so it came off freely. She carefully lowered his arm at his side, and set about her next task: removing his left hand from her chest fur. Unlike his right hand, his left was gripping her fur, preventing any kind of getaway. Focusing on one finger at a time, Midnight slowly and methodically pried each of David's five digits from her chest.

Midnight removed each finger at an agonizingly slow pace. Her heart pounded in her chest as she pried each digit away. She checked the clock numerous times as she worked, fearful of just how much time she was taking to escape.

"Ok, there's two down... Now just to- Shit!" Midnight thought to herself as David stirred.

Midnight immediately released her magic hold on David's finger. He moved slightly before settling back down and returning to his peaceful sleep. Midnight took several minutes to breathe and insure David was fully asleep before getting back to work.

"Okay, okay, okay. You got this, Mid. Just a couple... digits... to go... and... Yes! There we go."

Midnight successfully removed David's last finger from her chest and checked once again to insure that he was still asleep. His slow and steady breathing told her what she needed to know. Chancing a glance at the clock, Midnight sighed quietly.

"Ok... That took twenty minutes, but you're at the home stretch, Mid. Here we go..."

Forcing more magic into her horn, Midnight wrapped herself in her magic aura and began to gently levitate herself off of the bed. Slowly but surely, her weight was lifted from the mattress, and she hovered several inches above David's sleeping form. The bed lightly creaked as the last of her weight was freed from the confines of gravity.

"Alright... Just gotta get down now..."

Midnight gently lowered herself to the carpet with a quiet *thud*. She turned her head around to make sure David was still asleep, and to her relief, he remained still and undisturbed. She quickly walked out of the room and made her way back to the kitchen. She opened a small drawer and fished out a piece of paper and a pencil. With a quick flicker of magic, Midnight wrote down a note for David and snuck back into his room to put it on his desk. Once she was sure he would see it when he woke up, she quietly made her way for the front door and set off towards Canterlot.

David awoke with a yawn and a long stretch. Despite how much he drank last night, he didn't seem to have any kind of hangover whatsoever.

"Must be magic in the booze or something..."

Opening his eyes to the room around him, David saw the white ceiling and light blue walls he was now so familiar with. He rolled over to the left in an attempt to go back to sleep, but noticed something odd. The spot he rolled onto felt slightly prickly and was... warm... much warmer than where he was laying.

"What the? Why is this spot so warm? Wait... is that... hair? Was someone shedding on the bed? It's black... Oh no..."

The realization hit David like a truck.

"Oh... oh god... this is Mid's hair... did I sleep with her?"

David hastily scrambled out of bed, searching for any signs of the graphite pony. He didn't see any indication of her presence aside from the quickly fading warmth on the bed and whatever loose hair clung to the sheets. David frantically searched through his memories of the previous night to find an answer.

"Ok, ok, come on David. Think! We uh... We went to the bar, yeah... We drank a lot... Then we danced. Then what? Shit I can't remember. I just remember stumbling back into the house..."

David's eyes fell on the desk as his thoughts raced. He saw the note, clearly displayed with his name written on it in Midnight's writing. Her elegant cursive displayed his name clearly and professionally. He gulped and walked towards the paper, each step slow and fearful of what the note might say.

"What if we did sleep together last night? What if she was so disgusted that she wants me to leave? What if I hurt her somehow and she doesn't want to see me anymore?"

After several tense seconds, David finally arrived at the paper. He slowly reached out and grabbed the note, careful not to wrinkle it. He unfolded it and began reading.

David, I'm going into town for a little while today. I need to talk with Princess Luna about my work, so I won't be back until noonish at the earliest. Hopefully when I get back, I'll have some good news for you. In the meantime, you should probably take it easy. You had a lot to drink last night, big guy. I'll see you in a bit.

David visibly relaxed. He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"Ok, I don't think I slept with my best friend while we were both drunk... That's good." David said, sighing with relief.

David turned around and walked up to the bed. He gently brushed his hand against where Midnight had slept and felt what was left of her fur and hair tickle his hand.

"Then why is her fur on the bed though? It's still so warm too. She must have just left a couple minutes ago... Did she... tuck me in or something? Maybe she slept on the sheets with me but nothing happened. Ponies do that, right?" David thought out loud as he sat on the bed and scratched the back of his head.

"Ok, I'm gonna have to ask her when she gets back. Hmm, she wont be back until noon... I guess I could take care of a few things while she's gone."

David pushed himself off the bed and walked to the shower. Ducking his head into the slightly-too-small shower, he turned the knob to a decently hot medium and waited for the water to warm up as it began flowing. Once he got the temperature he wanted, he stripped his clothes and stepped inside.

Within a few minutes, David was out of the shower and getting dressed. He ran through his mental checklist.

"Ok, first, I need to go see about getting those shoes at the castle. Second, I need to clean up in here. Mid usually keeps things decently tidy, but this place has been a mess lately. Lastly, I need to talk to her once she gets back... about last night. There's no way she didn't sleep here with me. I'm fairly certain nothing happened, but if something did... Well... I just hope our first time wasn't some drunken stupor that neither of us remember."

David stopped his thinking as he realized something.

"Our first time... Jeez, listen to me. I sound like we're going to end up together... Are we? I mean, I feel like I shouldn't be okay with it, but then again... I'm not disgusted at all by the idea of sleeping with her... Honestly I'm more worried it was when we were both drunk and didn't really know what we were doing... Maybe I should tell her how I feel? No! Come on, David! There's no way she feels the same. She probably came down here last night to make sure you weren't dead, like any good friend would. That's it. She doesn't like you like that. Telling her would just ruin our relationship."

David sat in a solemn silence.

"No point in arguing with myself. She's a pony, and that means she would want to be with a pony. Besides, it's not like I could just become a pony... could I?"

The thought brought back the tidal wave of emotions David tried so desperately to suppress.

"What am I talking about? I live in a land of magical talking ponies. Of course I could! If I was a pony, then there would be nothing keeping us apart! I could tell her how I feel, and it wouldn't be so weird! Ponies wouldn't give her a second look when she and I went on a date. Twilight could probably work some magic and I could switch between being a pony and human at will! That'd be awesome! Best of both worlds right there!"

Without another thought, David made his way out the door and headed for Canterlot Castle.

Midnight arrived at Canterlot Castle as the sun's warmth finally began to heat up the street. There were only a few days left before Canterlot was due to receive its Hearth's Warming snow, and ponies were already preparing for the coming frost fall. Many were wearing winter boots and scarfs as well as full winter coats.

Midnight waved at the guards stationed at the front door and walked inside. Easily navigating the familiar network of hallways throughout the castle, she found herself at the door of the throne room. She knocked three times, and to her surprise, the doors opened.

A light blue aura quickly dissipated from the door handle as it opened enough for Midnight to enter. As she walked in, she was greeted by none other then Princess Cadence. Midnight quickly bowed.

"Rise, Midnight, I've been expecting you." Cadence said cheerfully.

"Your highness, I... wait, you were?" Midnight asked as she rose to her hooves.

"Indeed. Let's just say a mutual friend told me all about your predicament a little while ago."

"No... Luna wouldn't tell her my story without letting me tell her myse-"

"Anyways, come over here Midnight, sit with me. Let's talk. I know the story, but I want to hear it from you."

"Ugh, Luna..." Midnight thought with a smirk.

Midnight walked closer to Cadence, cautiously approaching the princess before sitting in front of her. She let out a long sigh.

"Alright, I guess I should start from the beginning."

David arrived at Canterlot Castle with a grin. His favorite guard was on duty again, and she was already waving at him from her post, completely abandoning her professional attitude.

"Hi Davey!" Storm Shield called from the gate.

"Hey Stormy!" David called back enthusiastically.

The two closed the distance and embraced each other in a tight hug.

"There you are! I've been hoping to see you all day!" She cheered.

"Well you sure are happy to see me. It's not like I was gone for a long time, I was here yesterday you silly pony." He said as he booped her nose, causing her muzzle to scrunch up adorably.

"I know, I know. I just miss seeing you around the castle everyday, so I get super excited whenever I get to see you anymore."

"You know I live with Midnight, right? You can always come and visit. I'd love to see my favorite guard without her armor on. Since that stuff makes you all look white, I still don't even know what your coat color is!"

"Absolutely! I'd love to come by sometime. But I thought I told you last week that it's blue, Davey. Anyways, what're you here for today? Besides seeing my beautiful muzzle, of course."

"You did? Oh man, my memory has been getting worse, hasn't it? Anyways I'm actually here to pick up some shoes, and maybe talk with Tia about a couple of things. If she's around, that is."

"Well, she's definitely here. I'm not sure how likely it is that you'll be able to see her though, what with her appointments and such, but I'm sure she'll make time for you." Storm finished with a wink.

"Hehe, thanks Stormy. I've gotta go now, but I'll come by some other time, or you can always come and visit me later." David replied.

Storm squeezed David in another tight hug before letting him go and returning to her post. She waved as David walked into the castle.

"Later Davey!"

David walked through the many corridors of the castle once again. Following his mental gps, he found himself in front of Celestia's private chambers once again. Chancing his luck, he knocked several times. There was some muffled noise behind the door, and the tell-tale sounds of hooves clopping on marble floor reverberated through the heavy doors before they opened.

Celestia's golden aura pushed the doors open and her gaze fell onto David. A smile instantly formed on her lips and she quickly rushed to the door to greet him. He spread his arms wide as Celestia came close and hugged him. Her wings draped over his shoulders and she brought her hooves around his back and pulled him close.

"Oh, David, it's good to see you again. What brings you back so soon?" She asked, finally breaking the hug.

"It's good to see you too, Tia. I uh... I have a few reasons for being here today. Firstly, I need to pick up my shoes from the seamstress. Secondly, I wanted to talk with you about... well... about Midnight." David said, the nervousness in his voice betraying the calm facade he was trying to keep up.

"Oh, perfect! I can get the seamstress in here right now."

With that, her horn lit up, bringing an ink quill and paper between them. She wrote down some quick instructions and with a small poof, the letter was gone. A small trail of golden magic snaked through the air and out the door, presumably toward the seamstress's office.

"Now, onto the second reason you wanted to see me... Let me just start by saying you came here at the perfect time as I don't have any appointments for another hour or so. You have my full attention." Celestia said, motioning to the spot in front of her as she laid down on her giant mattress.

David walked up to the bed and laid down. He rested his head on Celestia's barrel as she turned her head towards him and magically closed the door.

"Well... This is hard to say-" David began.

"Take your time. If there's a problem between you and Midnight, I want to resolve it as quickly as possible."

"There's nothing wrong. Things are better than they've ever been between us. I'm just... conflicted is all."

"How so?"

"Well, you know how the other day, you said that I should consider a relationship with a pony?" David nervously asked.

A look of realization dawned on Celestia's face immediately.

"Oooooooooooooh..." She said, a sly grin quickly forming on her face. "So you like Midnight then?"

David was silent for a long time before he finally found the courage to speak again.

"...Yes..."

He felt a wing drape over his shoulder, and Celestia nuzzled him against his cheek.

"I'm so happy to hear that. I had a feeling you two would end up taking a liking to each other. I'm glad to see that you're considering a relationship with her."

Being showered with affection like this made David melt into Celestia's embrace. He sighed and sank further into her warmth. She seemed to radiate such a welcome heat. Not enough to be uncomfortable, but just right.

"I don't know how to tell her. I don't know if she even feels the same way. Worst of all, I'm afraid that if I do tell her, she'll be disgusted and want me to leave. We have such a good relationship right now. She's funny, she's smart, and somehow, someway, I've come to genuinely find her very attractive. I don't know how... She's not human, but I still think she's beautiful. Not like a 'beautiful sunset' kind of beautiful, but like, 'someone you want to spend the rest of your life with' kind of beautiful. She's that amazing! And I don't know if I can ask her out... I'm too afraid of losing my best friend." David said, sadly.

He shuffled uncomfortably in Celestia's embrace. He took several long moments to collect his thoughts before speaking again.

"The thing is, I don't know if she'd want to be with me since I'm a human, and she's a pony... which is why I wanted to talk to you." David said, turning to look Celestia in the eyes.

"I don't think I follow." Celestia said, concern and confusion written on her face.

David sighed deeply.

"Is... is there a way... not permanently, but some way that... well..." David trailed off.

"Some way that... what? You don't have to be nervous around me David. I'm hear to help in whatever way I can." Celestia said, nudging David for an answer.

"Is there a spell that could... turn me into a pony? Like, a spell that could let me switch between species... So that Midnight and I could be together."

David cringed at his own question. Asking a princess if she could change his species wasn't something he thought he'd ever end up doing, but here he was, asking something most people would call him crazy for.

It was a while before Celestia spoke. Her brow was furrowed in concentration and deep thought. Finally, she found the words to speak again.

"Hmm... There... Might be a spell that can do that. However, it may not be the safest option. We still know so little about your biology when it comes to magic. That said, why do you want to change to be a pony? I might not be an expert on love, but I do know that when two ponies love each other, it doesn't matter what either of them look like. You love somepony for who they are, not their physical appearance. If Midnight likes you - and I'm fairly sure she does - then she won't care about you being human. She'll like you for who you are. A kind, gentle, and loving creature that changed her life for the better."

"Thanks, Tia. It's just that I don't want to be the cause of any grief for her. There are a lot of ponies that still don't like me. Hell, just the other day there was a librarian who wouldn't even talk to me when I tried to buy a book from his store. A nice griffon bought it for me - which I really appreciated - but If Mid faces the same kind of hostility for being with me like a month ago... Well, I don't even know what I'd do. It wouldn't be fair to her, and if she does like me as much as I like her, then I can't ask her to date me just off of that principle. I don't want her to get hurt. I couldn't live with myself if something bad happened to her because of me. Could you just do me the favor of looking into it? I'd like to at least have it as a last resort in the future."

"I will speak with Twilight about the spell. We'll work on it together and see if it's feasible. Again, I really think you should tell Midnight how you feel before you decide on this path. While I'm sure there is a spell that can turn you into a pony, it very well might not be reversible." Celestia said with a more somber tone.

"I intend to, Tia. Believe me. I just wanted to know if it was possible. I had no intention of asking you to do it now. I was honestly just curious if it could even be done." David explained.

"Very well then. I'll send a letter to Twilight and we'll start looking into it."

David smiled.

"Thanks, Tia. Believe me, I don't want to change species or anything. I very much like being human, but if I could go back and forth, then Mid and I wouldn't have to worry about other ponies. We'd blend in just like everyone else."

"I understand. You're very welcome David. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

"Just... Could you do me a favor and keep this between us and Twilight? I really don't want anyone else to know about this, especially Midnight. At least, not until I'm sure about it." David said.

"My lips are sealed. Anything else?"

"Uh, I don't really think so. You've been extremely helpful, Tia."

The princess of the sun smiled at the praise and nuzzled David affectionately.

"Anything for my friends."

"-and then I managed to levitate myself to the floor and get out. I wrote him a note saying that I was going to talk with Princess Luna and I made my way over here as fast as I could." Midnight finished.

"I see. So it's safe to say that you have feelings for David then, hmm?" Cadence asked.

"Y-yeah... I guess I do..." Midnight replied, while her cheeks flushed.

"Hmm. Well, I know a certain pony that owes me twenty bits..."

"What was that, Princess?"

"Oh nothing. Anyways... So you like David more than just a friend, and you're hoping that he feels the same way. Correct?"

"I... I guess... Yeah... I know it's only been a couple months since he got here, but I already can't even imagine my life without him. I just don't know if he feels the same way though... I was hoping that you could tell me what to do."

"Hmm... Okay, I have an idea. Let's try an exercise."

Midnight tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Like... running?"

"No, silly. Mental exercise. I want you to take a moment, and think. Think about the last two months, and tell me how you felt during that time. How did David make you feel these last two months specifically?"

Midnight looked at the floor. Her mind searched for the events of the last two months. Every game, every drink, and every joke she and David partook in resurfaced and Midnight felt every emotion hit her like a truck.

Turning her head up, Midnight saw Cadence's magic flicker out and the blue aura surrounding her horn quickly dissipated.

"Uh... Princess? What were you just doing? Why do I feel so different?"

"That was a spell to help you remember. It helped amplify the emotions you felt as you're memories played out. This way, they're fresh in your mind. Now, tell me how David made you feel these last two months."

Midnight took a long moment to think. Every feeling, every memory, and every reason why she liked David came pouring into her mind, blocking out everything else. Her entire body released the tension she didn't even know she was carrying. Her mind eased and the entire world melted away around her.

"Well... He makes me happy. When I'm with him, I feel like I can laugh again. I feel strong again when he's there. I love seeing him smile, and hearing his laugh. When I'm with him, I forget about the past. I forget about..." Midnight trailed off.

Cadence allowed Midnight a few moments to compose herself before she spoke.

"Midnight, it sounds to me like you already have your answer. If he makes you feel that way, then you owe it to both yourself and David to give your relationship a chance."

Midnight slumped her shoulders and sighed.

"I'm just so scared. He's the first stallion I've cared for since... well..."

"You don't have to talk about it if it still pains you, Midnight, I understand, really, I do. The thing is, you have two options. either take the plunge, and possibly find love again, or don't. You can hope that David will make the first move, but you know even better than I do that he probably won't want to make the first move, especially when we're so different from him. I'm not saying you should go home and confess your feelings for him right now- in fact, I think you should give it a little more time before you tell him- but you can't hide your feelings forever. Eventually, he's going to find out. Whether you want him to or not."

Midnight sat on the chair for a long time. Her thoughts were racing. Every instinct in her body screamed at her to go for it. That they were perfect for each other, and that she was just being paranoid. At the same time, every nerve in her head told her that David didn't feel the same way. He couldn't. They were just too different.

She thought for a long time while Cadence patiently waited for her answer. Eventually, after several tense minutes of thought, Midnight finally came to a decision.

"O...Okay... I think... I think I'll tell him."

"I think that would be the best course of action Midnight. Just remember one thing, okay? Don't force it. Let it come naturally. You'll know when to tell him, trust me." Cadence finished with a wink.

"These new shoes fit perfectly. Thank you so much. I can't believe I've gone barefoot for two months!" David cheered while walking around in his new shoes.

The royal seamstress simply nodded to both David and Celestia before quickly leaving the room without a word.

"Oh man, Mid's gonna love these! I can't wait to show her. Oh! I'll race her! She may win on the grass, but when I can actually run on pavement, it'll all be over for her..." David said, rubbing his hands together in an devilish fashion.

"I don't think Midnight will want to race, David." Celestia said with a small chuckle.

"Why not? She's always up for my shenanigans. Like this one time I got her to climb the roof with me when I got bored that one day. Haha, we almost fell off the roof climbing down!"

"I imagine she wasn't too fond of the idea." Celestia said through a giggle.

"No, she was completely down. Glad she has magic though. She caught my dumb ass a few times. Those roof tiles are slippery." David said with a thoughtful stroke of his chin.

"I'm surprised. Last I checked, Midnight was afraid of heights. Then again, I hadn't seen her very much for almost a year before you arrived." Celestia mused.

"Wait, what? Midnight was afraid of heights? Really? She sure hasn't ever shown it." David responded, curiously.

"Well, ever since what happened to her all those years ago, she hasn't really been keen on high places." Celestia replied as delicately as she could.

"Wait, what happened? What are you talking about?" David asked, suddenly much more invested in the conversation.

"You mean she didn't tell you? Oh..." Celestia said with a slight waver in her voice.

"Tell me what?"

"Well... it's not really for me to say, but... several years ago, she endured something traumatic..."

"Wait, what do you mean? How many years ago? What happened to her?" David asked, his happy mood shifting.

"I thought you knew about what happened to her... I thought she told you..." Celestia said, becoming increasingly more uncomfortable with each word.

"What happened to her? You mean her parents?"

"No... This was... more recent. I shouldn't say anymore. This is Midnight's business. If you wish to know more about it, you need to ask her."

"Tia, you can't just tell me that and not tell me the rest. What happened to her?" David's word grew angrier. "If it was something big like you're making out to be, she would have told me."

"David, please, calm down. It's Midnight's personal history. She requested that we respect her privacy after it happened. If you want the truth, please, ask her. If she does not wish to tell you, then please respect her decision."

David sighed.

"Alright. I'm sorry. I'll talk with her as soon as I can."

With that, David gave Celestia a quick hug and was out the door on his way back home. He walked with determination, and before he was even out of the castle doors, he was running. He was so focused he didn't even notice Storm Shield trying to get his attention as he blew past her. All he knew was that something bad happened to the mare he cared about. He just had to find out what.

David arrived at Midnight's house in record time. He reached the front door, panting. He pulled his spare key from pocket and unlocked the door. His mind raced as he pushed his way inside.

"What if something really bad happened to her? What if it's some permanent disability that I never knew about? What if someone hurt her?"

David stopped dead in his tracks.

"No... I swear to god, if someone hurt her I'll kill them myself."

David paced through the living room. The mere thought of Midnight being in distress filled his heart with pain and anger. He wanted to know. He wanted to hold her close and tell her it would be alright.

"God dammit! Mid, why didn't you tell me!? And why do you have to be gone for another hour?! There's got to be something here that can tell me what happened."

David began searching the house. He started in the kitchen, carefully inspecting every drawer, every cabinet, and every spot she could have hidden the information he needed. When he found nothing, he checked the living room. Nothing. Over and over, each room proved to have nothing. David was about to head upstairs when a certain closet caught his eye.

"You know, I don't think I've ever opened this door before..."

David grabbed the handle and opened the door. He was greeted by a large crate in the center of the small room. He decided that it was worth opening and pried the lid open on the heavy wooden container. A well maintained, shiny gold uniform greeted him as he looked inside.

"Huh, this must've been her uniform when she was a medic in the Royal Guard."

David gently set the uniform down to the side and continued digging. He found multiple books on the subject of surgery and several other medical practices.

"Geez Mid, you could make Twilight jealous with all this."

As David reached the bottom of the crate, his attention was caught by something. A medium sized bag, with what seemed to be several small glass jars inside jingled as he accidentally nudged them with a book as he rummaged through the crate. David tilted his head in confusion.

"What is that?"

He reached inside the bag and pulled out one of the jars. The label read 'MORPHINE' in bright red lettering.

"Jesus Mid, this jar alone could take care of a patient for a week. They can't all be..."

David pulled more and more jars out of the bag. A pit formed in his stomach as each jar seemed to be exactly the same.

"Christ, Mid, what happened to you?"

There were seventeen jars of morphine in total. Enough to run a small hospital for days. David felt sick to his stomach at the thought.

"Mid... why didn't you tell me..."

Midnight walked through the worn country road outside of Centerlot with a worried smile. She was finally going to do it. She was finally going to confess her feelings, and hopefully, David would feel the same way. She was conflicted, and many thoughts raced through her mind at the notion of dating her only friend.

"He must feel the same way, right? I swear he looks at me differently than he does at the other mares... But... but what if he just sees me as his best friend and nothing more? No, I made my decision and I can't back out now. I have to go through with this."

As she walked along the road, Midnight felt butterflies rise and fall in her stomach with each passing thought. Any number of things could happen with David. He was still an alien after all, and he was so secretive about his past relationships.

"He'll give me a chance. He has to. I've earned that much... right?"

Midnight pushed her thoughts to the back of her head as she reached her house. She let out a happy sigh at seeing the lights still on in the windows.

"David must be home. Alright Mid, here we go. You can do this!"

She walked up to the front door and entered the house. She saw no immediate sign of David until her eyes fell onto the living room.

"David? I'm back. I need to talk with you... It's kinda important." She called, trying her best to keep the trepidation out of her voice.

David rose from the couch and walked toward her. There was a bag in his hands. He closed the distance slowly, causing a pit in Midnight's stomach as her fear and anxiety rose. He was not acting like himself.

"Uh... David? A-are you ok?" She asked cautiously.

"I'm fine Mid, but... I need to talk to you first."

Wohoo! Another chapter done. This time, there is drama afoot! Tensions are high as David confronts Midnight about the Morphine. Will she tell him the truth? Will he believe her? What actually happened to her all those years ago? And will David find out how she truly feels? Find out next time ;)