“Make it up to you?” Rarity says with a stifled laugh, looking at the trail of mud Doug has tracked across her store. ”I’m afraid you’ve got it backwards.” Her horn flares, clicking on the overhead lights in the storefront. A mop and bucket levitate from one of the back rooms.

“Do I?” Doug gives Rarity’s flank a hearty slap, watching her coat ripple enticingly. “I mean, that wasn’t your brother. How did something like this happen? Or is it common practice to quarter soldiers in peacetime?” He strokes his chin as his hand digs into the supple flank. “Actually, are we at war?”

“Equestria hasn’t been at war in a thousand years, since the Crystal Empire was banished. Disregarding, of course, the occasional skirmish on the border with the Griffons.” A towel joins the cleaning supplies waiting for Doug. “Equestria does supply the Council of Creature’s enforcement branch with officers and support personnel. I’ll occasionally snag a contract to craft uniforms for them.”

“So, to answer my question, then…” Doug says, his brow furrowing a little at Rarity’s evasiveness.

“My dam set it up,” Rarity says defensively, “I had nothing to do with it.”

“Huh,” Doug says, raising an eyebrow. He motions towards her climbing gear, his other hand roughly holding onto her. “That seems like it easily could have turned into something.”

“What are you insinuating?” Rarity frowns, looking up at Doug. “Because, as I have assured you, nothing untoward happened.”

“And if something did?” Doug’s nostrils flare as the potential reality he’s been trying to avoid acknowledging spills forth. “I know we haven’t herded up yet, so it’s not like I can forbid you from whatever this was. At least Rainbow Dash I could believe, but what were you even thinking pulling this kind of stunt?!”

“It was cold in here, and I didn’t want to ruin my fabrics by sleeping with them.” Rarity flicks her muzzle in the air dismissively. “What happened with Rainbow Dash that gave you cause for concern?”

Doug folds his arms across his chest at the tangent. “She told me about it the next day. How she asked Sight Seer a bunch of questions about what it was like being at the Wonderbolt Academy. Showed off a few of her flying tricks, and got some pointers on what impresses the other ‘Bolts. He asked about her Cloudominium, and she gave him a tour.”

“A tour?” Rarity echoes, raising an eyebrow. “And this didn’t worry you?”

“No, but after seeing this I’m starting to. Even if she’s expressly told me that she doesn’t want to take our relationship that direction, and you have.” Doug pointedly stares at Rarity for a few seconds. She grudgingly nods. “He was asking about her bed. Apparently the barracks at the Academy only have clouds for pillows, and he was curious what her cloud mattress was like, for when he gets his own place. So they tested it out.”

Rarity snorts. “And you’re worried about me?”

“Yes,” Doug says curtly. “Because after jumping on it for a minute, and only jumping on it, he deemed it satisfactory. He signed a couple posters she had and then left to scout a couple other promising pegasi.”

“And you believed her,” Rarity says neutrally. Her voice strains, “Then why don’t you believe me?”

“I’ve never said I don’t believe you,” Doug states, and Rarity realizes he hasn’t doubted her words, merely her intentions. “She was up front about what happened, and didn’t hide anything, even when it was suspicious. I had no reason to doubt her, and plenty of reasons to believe.” His eyes narrow as he zeroes in on her. “What happened between you and Shining Armor?”

“He brought dinner - sandwiches of various kinds - which we shared. We climbed the wall a few times. Well, I only did the once. Then we… talked.” Rarity turns her head to the side at the last word, taking a deep breath as she steels herself.

“Talked about what?” Doug demands, dreading the response.

“We talked about our future together-” Rarity indicates herself and Doug “-and what we could do about it.” She glances to the door.

Doug waits, somewhat impatiently, his hands gripping his arms.

“Nothing came of it,” Rarity says.

“That doesn’t sound like ‘nothing untoward’,” Doug spits out. “Why would you do that?”

“I went through with it for you!” Rarity shouts. Her horn goes out, the mop clattering to the floor. “All you’ve wanted, all you’ve talked about since you got here was a family! Somewhere to belong and someponies to love you! And I did it for Applejack, so her heart wouldn’t be wrenched apart again!”

“And what would you have done?” Doug demands with a growl.

“You know what it would be,” Rarity responds coldly.

“I want you to say it,” Doug spits out. “I want you to say how you would have gone behind my back, used Shining Armor or some other stallion, and then lied to me about it.”

“So you would have a family.” Tears stain Rarity’s eyes. “So you would have a filly who calls you ‘sire’ and loves you with her whole heart. And you could love her back.”

Doug’s eyes narrow. “How generous of you.”

The words cut deep into Rarity’s heart.

“What was your next plan?” Doug asks, then immediately continues, “You couldn’t have thought I would stop at one with you. You’d need Applejack to do the same thing, and any other mares that joined.” His heart hammers at yet another revelation, his eyes going wide. He scrambles to his backpack and pulls out the twenty bit note. “Filthy Rich.”

“No!” Rarity cries as Doug crumples it into a small ball. “Applejack had nothing to do with this!”

“Why should I believe you?!” bellows Doug. His blood boils, fingernails digging furrows into his arms. “Why should I believe any of you?!”

“Because we do love and care about you!” Rarity shouts, even as her ears fold against her head. “It was a stupid plan, a spur of the moment decision, but I would have made it for you!”

“For me,” Doug says as he slumps down, pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, burying his head in a cocoon of limbs. “Because I don’t belong.” He breathes through his nose in hard spurts, teeth clenched tight. His rage slowly subsides as he grips his knees, rocking himself back and forth. “Because that’s what you would have proven when you did this. That I would never belong.”

“Doug, I’m sorry,” Rarity begs, bowing her head as she lays across from him, her day old makeup running. “I know you may never forgive me. But, please, I beg you. Don’t take this out on Applejack. Don’t let my mistake hurt her.”

Doug chuckles, though it turns to almost a sob. “Of course you would be worried about her.” A wry smile crosses his mouth, and it stays there. “But, why didn’t you just come to me with this? Why the subterfuge, the going against your Tenet of Honesty?”

Rarity hesitates a moment. “Because I was worried about your filly. Would you be able to love her if she was adopted? If you knew she wasn’t yours?”

“Well,” Doug says slowly, “I would have wanted the chance. At the very least. And, yes, I think I could have. As much as I love you, and Applejack, and even Rainbow, much as she doesn’t want that to happen.”

Rarity nods slowly. “I am sorry, Doug.” Her head bows even lower. “Will you forgive me?”

Doug takes a deep breath, slowly exhaling.

“Whatever it takes.” Rarity glances up with pleading eyes. “Please.”

“I forgive you,” Doug says quietly, a hand slowly raising.

Rarity darts forward, her folded ears flicking up as Doug’s fingers caress her scalp.

“I guess, in a way,” Doug says slowly, a heavy sigh at the concession, “adoption isn’t a whole lot different than studding, if one of the two can’t have kids.”

“Foals, darling,” Rarity corrects with a subdued smile. She slides her head back and forth as his fingers stop, trying to get him to restart his motions.

“Sure.” Doug rests his head against his knee, eyes closing. He’s mentally exhausted at having gone through that ordeal and doesn’t feel like contesting the point.

“I suppose you are right,” Rarity says after a few moment’s delay. She slowly maneuvers, keeping his hand on her head, as she lays next to him.

“But, should we get to that point,” Doug says as he reaches over, caressing Rarity’s flank, “in a couple of years, once we’ve exhausted our other options, I want complete transparency.”

“Of course,” Rarity says, her eyes widening a little. “Does this mean you’ve made a decision about me joining the herd?”

“Not yet. You see, this is one of the reasons we have long dating periods.” Doug gently massages Rarity’s back, using the contact to keep up his good spirits. “So that a potential couple can go through difficult problems like this and work them out.”

“But, if you’re already in a herd, you have to work it out,” Rarity says with a slight frown.

“Is divorce not a thing here?” Doug says, raising an eyebrow. “I mean, what if you can’t work it out? What if it’s some irreconcilable difference?”

Rarity slowly nods. “I suppose in that case separation could happen. But a dealbreaker like that should be obvious and stated up front, correct?”

Doug snorts. “Obviously, you’ve not met a lot of humans.” Rarity gives a small half-shrug. Doug sighs at the admission, “We would conceal our faults, try to make ourselves look better to impress the other person. Because who would want to go out with the loser you are? But you could only keep that up for so long before the other person found out.” He chuckles darkly. “And sometimes you’d hope it was too late by then. Or you’ve come to the realization that the other person is just as broken and worthless as you are, and you don’t have a choice but to make it work. Maybe that’s the same thing.”

Rarity pushes up enough to plant a hoof on Doug’s chest. “I don’t think you are worthless, faults or no.”

“Even if I can’t have any foals?” Doug asks, his voice begging.

“Even then.” Rarity smiles before her muzzle finds his with a soft kiss.

“Can I still put a condition on that forgiveness?” Doug says as she pulls away, his eyes twinkling.

“I suppose,” Rarity returns with a touch of apprehension.

“Will you be my friend?” Doug says, knowing how cliched that sounds.

Rarity snorts. “I suppose that's a condition I can accept.” She leans forward again, this time not pulling back.

Next Chapter: Ch. 59 - Southbound Estimated time remaining: 8 Hours