That Way

          It was noted in Derpy's head that it was not a good idea to sleep on the floor in her condition. Letting out a moan, and stretching out her back legs, she noticed how bad her sleep was. Not only did she wake up a lot in the middle of the night, but now her neck was sore. After Jet had left, Derpy could only sit by the window and wait for him to come back. When she was doing that, she must have laid down and fallen asleep. His stuff was gone now. Good-Bye. Derpy was happy it was finally over, and that her life could be the way she wanted to be. It did break her heart a little that he was gone, but it was for the better. Derpy got up and opened her wings, flapping them, making them crack a few times as she opened and shut them. She twisted her neck around, and it cracked as well. Now she was fatigue, what else could possibly go wrong? Jet probably moved in with that new mare, and now she was alone again, pregnant, and hurt. The first thing she went to do, was clean up the house. Sweeping, wiping counters, and picking up things. Now it had to be prepared for the filly, and only the filly. It was not his castle anymore. Derpy went upstairs and shut all the drawers she pulled open, that used to hold Jet's things. It was a good time to check out the empty room while she was up there. The house had 3 bedrooms, a guest room, the master bedroom, and the open room, which she hadn't been in forever. It was dusty, and had a few boxes with decorations they had not put out this year. The nice thing about it, is that it had a lot of light. Derpy could put up blinds, so that she could sleep in the bright afternoons sunshine that would come into that room. Things came through her head that she needed furniture wise, a rocking chair, changing table, dresser, and crib. The room made Derpy sneeze, it was so dusty. It had a ton of boxes, but from what she could see, there was a pretty big closet on the back right wall. It probably needed a paint job. A good stallion to ask for help on this was Narley, today was his day off.

         This weekend was all to her, and she totally forgot about it. No more Jet to take control either, making her shop and things, instead of relaxing. She only had 4 more months though, until her time would be taken all up again, so she was going to enjoy every minute she could. Narley's house was on the other side of town, but Derpy could use the fly. Something to do to get herself out, and do something useful. He said he would help her if she needed it? He had to move the boxes out, paint, then they would order the furniture and he would help her move it in. If he wanted pay, Narley was her boss, and could take it out of her paycheck. Derpy knew he was not like that though.

        It was another cold day, and the clouds filled the sky. They were dark, the pegasi were really trying to shove in enough snow for the season. Derpy put on her heavy duty coat, which now was tight against her stomach, and put on a hat to keep her ears warm. When she finished brushing her teeth, cleaning up, and stretching, she headed out the door. The cold air blew in her face. It was probably cold enough to make her wings falls off! She shivered, but decided to continue anyway. Her first stop would be to Sugarcube Corner, to get a muffin. Though, she wondered if the fighting between Twilight and her friends was still going on. Jet caused quite a disruption between them. Derpy saw traits she had never noticed before in the six of them. Pinkie Pie actually had a serious opinion, and was angry about it! Hopefully, she was mad at Rainbow, and not her. She did not know what she would do without her breakfast every morning. Muffins were her favorite treat ever since she was a foal. Derpy continued flying, looking down bellow. The streets were plowed, yet again, but it did not snow the night before. It was going to snow around now, by what the pegasus ponies were setting up. Derpy did not see many ponies on the street, probably because it was so cold. She landed at Sugarcube Corner, right in front on the porch. Derpy trotted in, the door had a bell that rang when she entered.

"Good Morning Ditzy" Mrs. Cake said, walking into the kitchen. Pinkie usually worked the counter at this time a day while they dealt with the twins.

"Hiya Mrs. Cake" She replied, tripping over a beam sticking out. It always got her, but she got her balance again. Pinkie looked over.

"Hi Ditzy! Good morning to you, and your little filly! I am sure you came for one of Auntie Pinkie's delicious muffins... Well I have something better~!" Pinkie was being herself, that was good. She hopped over to the display case as Derpy walked up and looked down.

"So what did you want to show me? All these delicious cakes?"

"No silly, you came for a muffin. That and you can't he sugary cake for breakfast.... Mrs. Cake at least tells me that... We got these news ones in from Manehatten. The Cakes have relatives there that own a bakery, they sometimes send over the BEST muffins your taste buds will ever taste! I saved the last one just for YOU!" She grinned.

"Y-you did!? Oh you're the best" Pinkie slid open the display table, she stared down at the single muffin on the plate as she brought it out.

"No hard feelings about yesterday... I am going to leave you alone about that. Dashie should not have said anything, it is not your fault. What'd you do anyway? You seem pretty happy! I like that!"

"Oh, it is fine... I uh... kicked him out. I think that was pretty right" Derpy bit her lip. Pinkie sighed.

"It was a little drastic, and fast, but we all kinda thought it should be done... I am really sorry, I am. Just know I will always give you free muffins" She rubbed her head. "Just don't tell Mr. or Mrs. Cake"

"Thanks as usual" She drooled while looking down at the muffin she had on the plate "Muffin please..." Pinkie giggled.

"Hold your horses! Don't shove it down! Savor it, we never get these" Derpy took it and sat at a table, it was a large muffin. Probably the biggest she had every seen. It was cut in half, and she eat the two pieces fast. They were so good, that they made her taste buds tingle. Pinkie, who was watching her eat, did say that it was not a good idea to shovel it down. Derpy did anyway, and the crumbs were around her mouth as evidence. She was stuffed, she laid back in her chair.

"Delicious huh! I ate 3 the other day... that is something you can't tell the cakes either... Anyway! They are Dinky brand, Mr. Cake's sister owns a HUGE bakery in the city. They are famous for those giant muffins they make. I hope you are feeling nice and full! I sure was..." Pinkie smiled.

"Yeah, maybe a little too full... I already almost always have morning sickness"

"Well, you are here pretty late today... Are you planning to do anything? It is your weekend, with no more Jet. You can hang out with me if you want! We will pull pranks on Dashie! Or we can invite everyone to Gummy's super duper early birthday party... maybe we can-" She began rambling, Derpy tried to listen to everyone of her ideas, but she went way too fast.

"Well.... I was going to get someone at work to help me with setting up the little one's room" Pinkie sat down in the chair next to her.

"Really! Who is it? I never met any of your work friends"

"Well, his name is Narley Wave... You probably would know him as Ryan" Derpy rolled her eyes "I think his real name is cool.. I don't know why he doesn't like it"

"Oh... Ryan... what a boring name for such a cool surfin' dude" She sighed.

"Yeah, but he is strong enough to move some boxes out for me. Also to do some painting, he told me to ask him if I needed anything. I am sure he is not busy, since it is his day off."

"Does he have a wife or children or anything" Pinkie asked.

"Nope" Derpy replied.

"Well! I hope you liked that muffin! Dinky brand is the best isn't it? I will tell Mrs. Cake to try and get some more, somehow. I better let you go get that stallion" She got up and shook her hoof.

"Hmm, Dinky brand huh...." It rang a little bell in her head, but she turned away. "See you later Pinkie Pie, I am sure we will being see each other more often"

"Yep! I will see you later Ditzy Doo. Good luck with your little one, and Narley. Sorry about Jet..." Derpy nodded gave Pinkie a hug, and went on her way.

             She was on a quest. Well, what Derpy liked to think of as a quest, to make sure that this filly would have the best of the best. Jet was not here now, so she had to be double the mother, and be totally prepared. One of her tasks was to have a clean, fresh painted room that was not filled with boxes, cobwebs, and stale air. Her next was to get other essentials, in the feeding department. Maybe a height chair, or a pillow for when she was feeding off of Derpy. Which... was something that kinda grossed her out, but it lead into her next task. The next objective on her quest before she was born, is to learn some things. Like how to change a diaper, how to feed, and how to burp. Maybe even how to cook, because Derpy usually made the house fill up with smoke every time she did. Other then a couple other objectives involving getting items, the last two things were to get through birth, and come up with a name. Her wings flapped as she soared through the sky up in high altitude. Her destination was close. Narley was the next best stallion to help her. His house was on a street that she did not know, but had some deliveries on recently. Her hooves slid across the ice as she landed, Derpy did not expect it. She crashed right into his trash cans.

"Uhh" Derpy looked up to see who it was, of coarse it was Narley. A grey, tall and skinny pegasus with some facial hair, and long hair. He did look like a surfer when he was not dressed for work.

"Hi..."

"You are one unlucky mare aren't you?" He chuckles, and helped her up. Narley looked down at her stomach, noticing how big it was getting.

"I- I'm just a little clumsy. I came by because I needed your help... you said I could stop by if I needed it right?" Derpy said, putting her head down.

"Of coarse. I have nothing better to do, and I couldn't just leave you alone to do things without a stallion around. I heard about what happened. I am terribly sorry"

"W-who told you?"

"Rainbow Dash works with the weather team. They come by all the time to pick up and send messages about the weather to Cloudsdale. I knew she was your friend, and we started talking. I saw Jet with another mare, and I asked her about it, and... well you know the rest. That was this morning, when I ran into the office to get some things" Narley sighed. He felt bad for bringing it up.

"I guess I would have told you anyway.. it is okay. I am happy it is over... but I really don't want to talk about it. I could really use your help" Derpy straightened her jacket.

"Of coarse, I definitely understand. I don't have any plans, I am actually happy you are here. Something to do with a good friend" She blushed.

"Aww... thanks. I just needed help setting up a room for the foal. I have a room in my house I wanted to clear. It is filled with boxes, and other materials. You can take money out of my paycheck if you want, but I just wanted to ask if you wanted to start a project of turning that room into a foals room... Oh, and what are you doing out here anyway?" Narley chuckled.

"Ditzy.. I could never charge you. I would be glad to help you free of charge. I will personally buy you very nice furniture for her.... and I just decided to take a walk, I'm a little crammed in that house. I want to start a project" She took her hoof, and lead her away from the trashcans. After looking over her body to make sure she was alright, he began walking along side her. "Lets just walk there, no need to fly. Take our time, and get some things off our minds"

"Okay, Narley..."

"Don't call me that... I am not Narley anymore, I'm Ryan" Derpy found this as a good opportunity to start a conversation.

"Why? You never exactly told me the story..."

"I just.... Narley was my surfer name. I don't surf anymore, I have responsibilities"  He sighed as they began walking. Derpy scanned his sad reaction he was trying to hide.

"Well surfing is your talent. Narley is your real name, why Ryan?" She giggled "You don't have that much to do..."

"That life I lived, was not the life I wanted to live. It was when I thought that life was too short to listen to rules, care about my health, or other ponies feelings. It was a selfish life all based around 'You only live one', doing crazy, and dangerous things on the west coast with my mates. I did not want to live that life anymore, I decided to settle down in Ponyville" Derpy looked at him.

"Well, why? I know you must have loved surfing, you have so many shiny trophies... You just quit? Something happened" Narley nodded, he looked down at the ground, expressing he really did not want to, but was going to tell her anyway.

"A mare I liked for a very long time died in the water. She got a nice wave and it took her into the rocks. We never had a chance together... I don't want to talk about it Ditzy, it is bad memories. It was my rebellious attitude that got her killed, deciding to surf on a beach not meant for it" She patted him on the back, his words were sad.

"I am really sorry that happened to you..."

"It is fine Ditzy" After that, there was a awkward silence. Derpy never knew that he went through something like that. She knew what it was like to love someone, and knew in a way what it was like to lose them. But this was tragic, tragic enough to end Narley's favorite thing in the world. It could be recovered from, but she had no idea what kind of stallion he was, or what the mare who died was like. It was something she regretted asking. Derpy lead the way to her house, she almost walked past the beaten thing.

"Well... here it is... it's nothing much"

             Narley came in behind her, as she turned on the lights and lit a candle. It was clean, well, in Derpy's standards. He did not look impressed. Narley looked more stressed, and depressed then anything, but it was a usual cowl he wore when he worked. It probably because he was both of these things during any form of work. He was doing this instead of being out in the open waves of Californeighah. He looked at some of her pictures on a end table by the couch. Most of them were when she was little, of the very few happy moments with her father. The other was a picture of her when she must have been a newborn, sucking on a pacifier. Her cute little self stared at the camera with her crossed eyes. Derpy didn't really notice she was the cutest foal ever. Hopefully her child would turn out that way, without the birth defect she had. After moving on from the pictures, which had a lot of empty spots of the ones she threw away with Jet in them, Derpy decided to go to the bathroom, Narley looked out the windows and such. She did not mind him looking around, although she was confused why her house wound interest him. Derpy was not a good house cleaner, and did not have a lot of money. Narley was the opposite. He noticed a guitar on the other side of the room. It was a regular one that Jet bought as a gift for Derpy. Although, she barely could play it, it was still a nice one that was a gift in the start of her relationship with him. She walked out of the hall and watched Narey begin to fiddle with it.

"You know how to play?" She tilted her head, interested.

"Yes.. actually" he replied. He began to strum it a few times, before stopping and turning the knobs again. Derpy was not a music person, she did not want to request any songs. It looked like he was going to do something. Maybe to boost his spirit that seemed to go south after him mentioning the mysterious mare he loved. Narley had to be good though. "I can play something, hold on"

"I want to hear you... I could never play the darn thing"

"It was a thing, back in those days. Everyone could play guitar. I knew a lot of songs, I may be a little rusty though. I am sure I can pick it back up. I am sure Jet didn't play either. They always fall for the pretty boys, If I were a mare, I would fall for the ones with pretty voices. A singer is a artist, and they paint pictures using words in melody"

"Jet did not play. I am not going to lie, I never was really into music. Can you play a song before you come help me? Please? Play something you are feeling right now, and something that is simple" Derpy smiled.

"Well Ditzy, it isnt that easy. It comes from the heart. Maybe you should go warm yourself up while I think of something.

"No, I will wait" She did, until he quickly came up with something.

"Alright... I have one" Narley slid a pick out of his winter coat pocket. Why was that in there? She stared as he adjusted himself a bit on the bricks in front of Derpy's fireplace ledge. He breathed in and out, before his hooves moved against the strings, and stroked with the pick. Her ears perked up at the sound of the first strums of the guitar, it was beautiful, and gave her the chills. It was gentle, a little sad, but sweet melody.

"And I'd give up forever to touch you....

'Cause I know that you feel me somehow

You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be....

And I don't wanna go home right now"

           He stopped, Derpy shook her head. It was beautiful, and made her sink into the song, indulging on the beautiful strum of the guitar. Maybe it was because she never really heard good music before. Derpy was never into it, but the way it made her feel, she wished she was.

"P-please... don't stop" He shrugged, as he started to strum again. Derpy had to know this song.

"And all I can taste is this moment

And all I can breathe is your life

When sooner or later it's over

I just don't wanna miss you tonight

And I don't want the world to see me

'Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am"

He strummed the guitar a few times, before ending the first chorus.

"And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming

Or the moment of truth in your lies

When everything feels like the movies

Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive"

          He repeated the chorus again, before cutting it off and sighing. Derpy clapped her hooves together, amazed. It was awesome, and it gave her the chills when he sang it. Narley knew it was something he sang from his heart. He smiled for once, and looked over at Derpy. She looked back over at him. They stared in each others eyes, for a few seconds. A awkward meet between her amber, and his blue, sparkling eyes, that lasted for a few more seconds before he slammed down the guitar and got up quickly. Breaking the little moment they were having, and making Derpy forget all about it when he quickly changed the conversation.

"Hey! We better get that room done... Better now then never right? Come on, lets go.... uh, I am going... for sure. You should come with me" He trotted quickly to the stares, Derpy sighed at his outburst.

"Y-y-yeah.... okay..." She felt the foal moving around it again, and it took her attention off of him. It followed with a stomach growl. It was ignored that her body was not being nourished, therefore nor was her fillies. They both headed upstairs, Narley's depressed attitude returned. Derpy lead him to the room. He looked around at the decorations, and dusty atmosphere. The air was very stale, and cobs webs were everywhere. Some holes laid in the wall from objects being thrown into the room lazily. Nothing some hard work could not fix. Narley sighed.

"Alright, we will need to clear these box-" Her stomach growled louder. It did come to Derpy that she had not eaten dinner the night before. That muffin probably wasn't enough. Narley noticed. "Anyway... I will clear these boxes, I want you to first eat lunch. I will put them on the front lawn?"

"I have a large closet downstairs. Put the red and blue boxes in there. The rest of it is random things we don't need." Narley picked up a few large boxes.

"Well, let's get to work"