The Derby has many factors that uphold its superior reputation such as its exquisite culinary dishes and breath-taking atmosphere. But the most publicized reason for its popularity was the famous guests that attended it. Every celebrity pony one could name had gone to the highly acclaimed restaurant and filled the walls with autographed pictures as proof. It had lovely views from the French-style windows which provided beautiful scenery of Los Pegasus and yet the seating gave the renowned ponies just enough privacy from passing civilians. The cyan customer placed her fork onto her place and rested her elbow on the table while propping up her head to glimpse at her company.

"That's awful what they are saying in the papers," the lavender unicorn commented, scooping up her soup, "What are you going to do?"

"Top Boss says to just lay low for a while and roll with the punches," Rainbow replied, "These things always happen. I just wish that they'd mind their own business."

"Well, you are a public figure, darling, you're bound to be the receiving end of such harsh judgments," Rarity retorted, shrinking back after receiving an irritated expression for her friend, "B-but that does not mean they have the right to say your lifestyle is immoral. They don't even know you!"

"That's what I'm saying!" she spat out, motioning over a waiter, "More bread please. How can I be a bad role model for their kids or whatever if I don't even know them?"

"If you ask me I think you are making a very smart decision for not getting into a marriage impulsively,” Rarity told her, causing Rainbow to lift an eyebrow in surprise, “You wouldn't want to rush into something you're not sure of. I as a business mare understand your point of view when it comes to your life and your career," Rarity added, bringing her water to her lips cautious, "By the way, how are you and Braeburn doing? Getting along fine?"

"Things have been smooth sailing so far," she informed, refolding her cloth napkin mindlessly, "We had our first parenting class."

"How exciting!" Twilight quipped.

"That turned out to be a dud," Rainbow quickly finished. She blew her bangs from her eyes and tapped her hoof apprehensively. "Also, a couple of days ago there was a mare at the market that I kinda set up with him." The equestrians exchanged looks and returned their attention back to the Pegasus. "I know, I know, it sounds weird. But she kept on staring at him while we were shopping so I told him that it looked like she liked him and that he should go talk to her."

"And you don't mind him talking to other fillies?" Twilight inquired suspiciously.

"Not really," she shrugged, "Listen, I don't want to be a stick in the mud. I don't want to hold him back from enjoying his life just because of some pregnant horse. And I'm sure he'd want the same for me. We are just the parents, we aren't exclusive or anything."

"So have they courted?" Rarity asked.

"What?"

"Has he accompanied her anywhere?"

"Huh?"

Rarity gave an exasperated sigh. "Have they dated?"

"Why didn't you say that in plain English? Not that I know of, no. He said that he's not interested in her. I stayed behind at the time so that I wouldn't be recognized but it seemed like they hit it off. They were smiling and everything."

"Well, Braeburn is a social colt," Twilight pointed out, "I think he would talk to a picture if it seemed nice enough."

"Yeah. But I didn't see too much because that's when I saw that stupid headline and focused on reading the newspaper." Rainbow grabbed a breadstick from the basket in front of her and gnawed on it. Setting it down, her eyes darted from one edge of the table to another. "Although there was something that happened that kinda made me think for a while."

"What was it?"

"It was after parenting class when we were walking to Sweet Apple Acres…"

………………………..

Their hooves crunched into the pile of leaves as they trotted to the farm. Rainbow wrapped her wings around her sides to fight off the chills from the breezy weather as she tried to keep up with the colt. Slightly ahead of her, he turned back to face her and slowed down his pace. With their eyes meeting, they busted into laughter once more.

"I can't believe you spilled the baby powder all over the table!" she exclaimed between her breaths.

"It's not mah fault that those bottles make cheap caps," Braeburn insisted, "Besides, Ah wasn't the one who was checkin' tah see if those foal dolls were atomically correct in front of the teacher."

"I can't believe she kicked us out! What a prude!"

"You said it!" he agreed, shaking off his vest, "Ya look cold. Take this." Rainbow raised her eyebrows and tilted her chin upward.

"I refuse your offer. I'm not made of glass, you know."

"You're right, you're made outta muscles and tissues and junk that requires warmth." He held out his vest and halted in his tracks. "Stop bein' so proud all the time."

"Fine," she allowed, sliding her arms through the holes and letting the fabric touch her fur. The body heat from him immediately heated the section of her back that it rested on. "Feels nice."

"I told ya-" He cut himself off to find that the mare was not moving. Concern grew in him as he retraced his steps back to her. "What's wrong?"

"Shh," she murmured, grasping his hoof and bringing it to her torso, "It's kicking."

Braeburn glanced at her and lowered himself to a comfortable position without straining his arm. "Is this the first time it's kicked?"

"Nah, it's done it a million times before. But this is the first time with you." He let out a small chuckle and rubbed his hoof on the surface of her belly gently. A contented stillness came between them.

"It's moving a lot, isn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah," she replied, beginning to walk down the path again, "Don't get too carried away; I want to be home before sundown." The two ponies continued their trail with the sounds of trees bustling filling their ears. Figuring that she would not bring up the issue made in the newspaper yet, Rainbow decided to keep to herself to avoid pointing out the seemingly polarizing opinions of their situation and marriage.

"Oh funny thing, Miss Rainbow," he started, causing her to knit her eyebrows. Miss Rainbow? How many times has she been over this with him? "Y'know that filly ya pointed out to me in the market yesterday?"

"Oh yeah, how did it go?"

"Well, Ah knew she looked familiar and instantly recognized her when Ah approached her. She had been one of mah neighbors back in Apploosa. Apparently, she's visitin' family members here in Ponyville. Ah sort remembered her mentionin' that now that Ah think about it."

"Small world."

"Ah told Applejack and she said it'd be a great idea tah invite her for dinner tonight. D'ya want tah come and meet her?"

"Wouldn't that be a little weird?"

"Ah reckon you're family now, RD, Ah insist ya stay! If it weren't for ya, Ah wouldn't have seen Sally Sunshine."

"Sally Sunshine?"

"Yup, Sally Sunshine. That's her name. What d'ya say?

"I don't-" Suddenly, a cheerful scream was emitted which caused Rainbow to freeze, zooming to a bush to gaze over. Squinting her eyes, her peripheral vision showed Applejack enfolding her arms around the same pony that she noticed at the market. Her brown curls bounced against her cheeks as she hopped in delight after pulling back from the Southern horse. Hastily, Rainbow headed over to the two fillies with Braeburn following behind.

"It's very nice tah meet ya, Rainbow Dash," she greeted after Applejack introduced her.

"She's a sports athlete who flies for the Wonderbolts," Applejack explained, "She's big in Ponyville, and even bigger in Cloudsdale. And, of course, one of mah best friends since we were little foals."

"Oh how nice. Now, what're the Wonderbolts again?" she asked, noting their expressions, "Ya'll have to excuse mah ignorance on the subject; my folk don't usually keep up on these types of things." Rainbow cocked her head to the side and straightened her posture.

"It's, like, only the top of all flying sports teams around. They've won the most flying competitions and awards than any flying team in all of sports history. They are icons and living legends! Pegasi would give their hind legs to be part of such an awesome team."

"That's really somethin'. Ah becha you're darn good at it, too," she chirped.

"Only got Rookie of the Year," she boasted, sticking her chest out.

"And Ah take it you're expectin'?" she asked, gesturing to Rainbow's midsection, "How many months?"

"Eight."

"You are adorable! You're gonna love motherhood, Ah can already tell. Ah think bein' a mother is the greatest feelin' in the world."

"Do you have kids?"

"No but Ah'd love to someday," she concluded, turning her attention to the blonde stallion, "Howdy Brae! How're ya!"

"Great! C'mon, let’s go inside," he directed, noting a missing body, "Rainbow, are ya comin' with us?"

"Uh, no, I can't actually," she clarified, "I, uh, need to check on Tank. My turtle. Who needs to be fed. And checked on. Because he's a turtle."

"Are ya sure, sugarcube?" Applejack questioned, "D'ya have tah go now?"

"Mmm-hmm. But, hey, you guys enjoy yourselves. I should start heading back before it gets too dark."

"Will ya be alright?" Braeburn interjected, "D'ya need me tah walk ya somewhere?"

"I'll be fine, really. Cloudsdale is literally just above our heads," she reminded, flapping her wings to the nearest cloud, "See ya." As she moved her wings to her push body forward with the cloud, she heard a perky drawl call out.

"Nice meetin' ya, Rainbow Dash," Sally Sunshine announced, waving her bonnet in her hoof.

……………………..

"The whole thing just replayed in my mind over and over," Rainbow continued, tapping her breadstick emptily on the edge of her plate, "It didn't bother me at first but I got to thinking about it. They both live in the same neighborhood in a completely different city and they seem close. What if he just… leaves?" Rarity and Twilight simultaneously choked on their drinks and wiped their mouths. Observing their bewildered expressions, Rainbow began to explain herself. "You guys know exactly what I'm talking about. They always do this, colts always do this. They say that they'll be there for whatever mess that they made and then one day they just get up and go. Just disappear. I'm surprised he hasn't left already."

"It sounds as though you are expecting it, Rainbow Dash," Rarity half-heartedly jested, "I don't know why you play these silly mind games on yourself. Braeburn's not going to leave you for Celestia's sake."

"Rarity's right," Twilight agreed, "I don't think he's interested in dating right now anyway. He doesn't strike me the type to go after every mare he sees, especially an old neighbor." Twilight gave a small giggle. "In fact, you're acting as if he ran after her. I mean, you were the one who pointed her out, right?"

"Yes, and I have nopony to blame but myself," Rainbow whined as she smacked her head onto the table. Rarity glanced over to Twilight impatiently as the student shrugged.

"For some reason, I thought that was going to make her feel better," Twilight clarified.

"Darling, so you really think that he would do such a thing?" Rarity spoke, pushing the pegasus's bangs from her eyes. "Running away with another mare? Do you think you would allow that? Or Applejack? Does she even know that you two are having a foal together?"

"Not that I know of. But I'm sure he'll tell her eventually. I'm just trying to decide before or after they move away." Rarity gave a loud huff.

"There seems to be more to this than what you're telling us. Look, I'll play along and live in this world in your head. Let’s suppose they do get together, hmm? Perhaps she'd be of assistance. Maybe she could play the role of stepmum. How about that? Less work and stress for a busy pony like you." Her head rapidly shot up as her eyes flickered between the unicorns.

"You're right, maybe she'd become, like, some kind of third parent." Furrowing her eyebrows, Rainbow straightened her posture. "That little hussy will try to take my spot!"

"C-come again?"

"What if she tries to mother it and take care of it until that thing barely knows who I am anymore?"

"I must say, Rainbow, I'm taken back by your protective behavior on your unborn horse."

"Oh I don't care about that," she snapped, "I care about all my hard work diminishing. All these months of being sick and tired just to have somepony else getting the credit. I can see it now: first it just starts out as a few short visits. Then, they become babysitting sessions. Before you know it, it's calling her momma without a clue of who the really mother is." Her companions stared at her with their jaws dangling open.

"I think you made it worse," Twilight mumbled to Rarity.

"Hush," Rarity hissed, "Honey, nothing is-"

"You shoulda seen the way she was eying my stomach and all," Rainbow continued, "Cooing about how much she wanted to be a mother and have children and all that stuff. Well no way that's going to happen with my baby! I'm not sharing that spotlight!" A waiter sauntered to their table covering the receiver of the phone he was carrying with his hoof.

"Phone call for Miss Rainbow Dash." She reached for it, slumping in her booth slightly.

"Hello?"

-Rainbow? Ya need to come over here or do somethin'! It's Applejack!-

Rainbow ducked her head a little and lowered her voice.

"Applejack? What's wrong?"

-Ah'll tell ya what's wrong…Big Mac, close those curtains! What's wrong is that there are photographers everywhere!-

"W-what?" Rainbow exclaimed.

-Braeburn an' Ah were in Ponyville an' Ah guess some pony recognized him in a magazine. Before we know it, we're bein' chased by a mob of fans or paparazzi or whatever back at home. They're poundin' at the door and yellin' your name and if we know ya and if we know where ya are. Ya gotta do somethin'!-

"Alright, alright, don't panic," she assured, resting the phone on the table. "Twilight, how are your teleportation skills?"

…………………

Much to her shock, Applejack found a burst of magenta powder and pulled Big Macintosh back from the rug he was standing on. Waiting for the rupture to vanish, the country pony made out a familiar silhouette. She breathed a sigh of relief when the realization hit her that it was her friend.

"My goodness, Rainbow, don't scare me like that!" she demanded, letting go of her brother.

"Hey," she greeted, opening her eyes that she had closed before the magic spell was set on her, "So where's that magazine you were talking about?" After receiving the tabloid, Rainbow glared at the title page and gasped. It showed a picture of low quality with her and Braeburn. She instantly recognized the moment that was captured; it was the moment after parenting class when they were walking home. There lay Braeburn's hoof on her midsection followed by the bold letters 'Who's the colt with Rainbow?'. "'The mysterious eye-candy was picture holding the athlete's baby bump. Could this be the father?'" she read out loud.

"One o' the girls asked me tah autograph it," Braeburn pointed out as he entered the entry way.

"How did they find out where we were when they took this picture?" she questioned in a frustrated tone.

"Ah don't know but Ah'm willing to bet one o' them mothers or fathers musta alerted the media at them parentin' classes." He paused and grimaced. "We oughta say somethin'. They can't just get away with that!"

"Mmm-hmm," she replied, "Or perhaps it was you little friend of yours I met earlier this week. What was her name again?"

"S-Sally Sunshine?" he correct her, raising an eyebrow, "Ah can't imagine her doin' such a thing. Besides, she met ya after the classes an' Ah haven't told her prior that Ah knew ya."

"Yeah right, I wouldn't trust her if I were you. It's always the quiet ones that rat us out." Braeburn was taken aback by her harsh voice.

"Rainbow, she's one o' my good neighbors. And she doesn't know how this famous pony business thing works out anyhow."

"Either way, how many times have I told you to be careful?" The male horse asked what on earth was she talking about. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You haven't exactly been discreet like I've told you to be. Every time we go out to the market or somewhere you always have to wave at somepony and say hello."

"Ah'm just tryin' tah be nice, that's all!" he defended, "Ah've gotten to meet some nice acquaintances."

"And you're bringing attention to us! Also, it was your stupid idea to go to those parenting classes. I knew I shouldn't have gone but I was basically forced to."

"Ya were forced to, huh?" he shot back, stepping closer to her, "Ah wasn't exactly holdin' a gun to your head!"

"Well, we went and now look what happened! All of Equestria is trying to knock down the door!"

"Rainbow, why don't ya try to-"

"What? Try to what? Calm down? Do me a favor and just for once try to not tell me what to do, OK? Maybe you should listen to me for a change!"

"Since when do Ah try tah control ya?" he retorted, "Ah'm just tryin' to get ya tah calm down so that ya don't go on a frenzy like ya usually do!"

"It's a little too late for that!" she yelled, bringing her to face close to his until their noses touched, "Ever since this whole thing started eight months ago, you've made my life a living hell. I'm stuck in a situation that I am dreading and you don't seem to care how I feel at all! You are stuck in your own little world in your mind that everything is going to be OK, that it's going to be fine. Well newsflash, it's not! Not only does everypony know who I hang out with now, but they know about my personal life and the places where I go! Thanks to your careless attitude!" A pained sense grew in his emerald orbs that quickly changed into disgust.

"You're right," he murmured sarcastically, "It's just all my fault. Will ya feel better if Ah get outta here?" The mare's eyes dropped slightly as she opened her mouth. Before she could say anything, he brushed against her to head over to the furthest side of the house. "Hope this'll make ya happy."

"Braeburn!" Applejack called out, galloping after him. She stopped and glowered at her rainbow-maned guest with her eyes that seemed to drill a hole into her skull. As she left the room, Rainbow blew out a breath and peered down. The air became thick that filled in her ears, causing her to have a faint headache. Slowly, she looked over to Big Macintosh whose stance appeared livid. No matter how hard she tried, she could not form words from her mouth.

"No pony talks tah my family members that way," he grumbled, stepping closer towards the filly that made her cower.

"I-I'll see myself out," she informed, reaching for the door handle. A red hoof slammed on it and guided her to the living room.

"Ah not too happy 'bout your behavior just now, but Ah can't allow ya tah leave," he explained, "Not like this, anyway, with them leeches everywhere. Ya can stay the night, y'hear?" She blinked in amazement.

"B-but what will Applejack say?"

"Don't matter what she says or thinks. Same goes fer me. This is an issue between you and Braeburn. But ya gotta promise yer gonna apologize tomorrow."

"Yeah, I guess," she whispered, dipping her head.

"It's gettin' late; it's already in the evenin'. Y'all can sleep on one o' the couches."

"OK," she concurred, meekly nodding her head, "A-and I'll call my manager in the morning to get rid of these guys." After the stallion left the room, Rainbow sunk onto one of the cushions and frowned at the ceiling. "This is the reason why Mom always told me to never hold in my emotions," she told herself miserably.