Them

Rarity woke up thanks to the cry of the Cake twins. She groaned before sitting up. Her mane was a mess since she had no time to comb it lately.

"Hungry again, eh?" she levitated the foals and placed them in front of her. She cast on herself the spell a nurse taught her, allowing her to lactate and feed them.

Once they were finished, she lightly patted them on the back until they burped at the same time and started giggling. Rarity giggled too.

"You two wake me up every night, but I can't het mad. You're so cute!" the foals hugged her and yawned before falling asleep again. She placed them back on the crib and lied down again. She closed her eyes but got up again a few moments later. "Great, I can't sleep!"

She slowly opened the door of her room. She didn't wanted to wake anypony up. She was on her way to the balcony when she heard a sound coming from the kitchen. Rarity levitated the baseball bat she kept hidden behind the bookshelf right outside her room and quietly walked toward the source of the noise. The area would be pitch black if it wasn't for the light coming from the open fridge. She smiled and placed the bat on the ground when she saw who opened the fridge.

"Pinkie Pie and company, what are you doing here?"

Pinkie Pie almost dropped the plate with a piece of cake she was holding, startled by Rarity's voice. The fillies tried to hide under the table, but to no avail.

"Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon. Too late to hide, I already saw all of you." the fillies sighed and got out of their hiding spot, looking down.

"I'm sorry, Rarity." Pinkie said. "The girls woke me up and told me they were hungry, and I was hungry too, so we came here for a midnight snack. I know it's wrong since we're running low on food, but I just couldn't resist. I'm so, so, so, so sorry!"

The fillies hung their heads. "We're sorry too."

Rarity giggled. "It's ok, there's another shipment of food arriving tomorrow - or today, I'm not sure - so you don't have to worry about this little incident. And since you apologized, I'll not punish you. Now go back to bed."

The quartet, still looking down, went to their bedroom, Pinkie Pie right behind them.

"Hey, Pinkie!" Rarity called.

"Yes?"

The white unicorn opened the friedge and magically grabbed the plate with a piece of cake. "Since I can't sleep, I'll stargaze for a while. Would you like to join me?"

She smiled and nodded, then grabbed a piece of cake with her bare hoof and closed the fridge. Rarity went to the balcony and Pinkie followed her. The mares sitted down side by side, looking at the stars while eating their cakes.

"I'm glad Silver Spoon and the Crusaders are getting along well, but now that they're hanging out together, I'm afraid it's just another troublesome filly to control." she giggled. "But I still love them all!"

"Of course you do. If you didn't you wouldn't be working here, would you?"

"Of course." she bit the cake once again. "What do you think that happened to make Silver Spoon apologize?"

"Maybe she was feeling lonely and guilty after Filthy Rich moved to Trottingham with Diamond Tiara and left her behind and, if she wanted that loneliness and guilty, she would have to swallow her pride and apologize in order to make new friends. Nopony should be lonely, you know. Specially during times like these."

"Yes, I know."

"But it's nice to see fillies still worrying about trivial things, such as making friends." Pinkie said, her voice in a serious, darker tone.

Rarity looked at her friend. Her usually puffy mane was now completely straight. "Pinkie, darling. Are you alright? I've never seen you so..."

"Serious? Gloomy? Depressive? Yes, I haven't been like that in a long time. Since I was a filly, actually. But it's hard to keep a smile on your face 24/7 nowadays. I try, but after what I saw, what I still see, with all my friends dying..." Pinkie sighed. "I can't giggle my problems away..."

"Pinkie..."

"Please, don't call me that when I'm like this. During my moments of depression, call me by my true name, Pinkamena. Pinkie is a cheerful little devil who likes to party. I'm just a sad mare who never looks for the bright side."

"Right Pink-- Amena!"

"Do you think they're alive?"

"Who?"

"Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Applejack."

"I don't know. But I hope they are."

Pinkamena chuckled. "Hope. Wish I still had that."

Rarity yawned. "It's pretty late. I mean, early. I'm going back to bed."

"Can... Can I go with you?"

"Beg your pardon?"

"I'm a grown up mare, I know, but I don't want to wake up alone again. I've been having those nightmares lately where I wake up and there's nopony around, only... Them!" she closed her eyes and tears rolled down her face. "I don't want to lose you. Any of you!"

She opened her eyes when she felt something cold and wet pressing against her forehead and saw pressing her lips against it.

"R-Rar..."

"It's ok, darling. You can sleep with me tonight!"

Both mares smiled and wnet back to Rarity's bedroom. Arriving there, Rarity closed the door. Pinkamena jumped on the bed, Rarity just climbed on it. The former fashionista used her magic to pull the blanket and cover them, snuggling against Pinkamena's back.

"Good night, Rarity."

"Good night, Pinkamena."

"You promise me that you will be here when I wake up?"

"I promise you, I'll always be by your side!"

Pinkamena turned around so she could face the white unicorn mare. "Forever?"

"Forever..." Rarity said. After each word, she approached her muzzle to Pinkamena's. "And ever... And ever... And ever... And ever!"

After the last word, the space between their muzzles was a single inch. Pinkamena smiled and her became puffy again.

"You said 'ever', four times, what makes it a second forever, so it's a forver forever, or a double forever, or forever squared!"

Rarity giggled and wrapped her forehooves around Pinkie's neck.

"Pinkie Pie, darling, you are so random."

She then pulled the pink baker closer, pressing her lips against hers. Their forehooves explored each other's body while they kissed, until Pinkie's found Rarity's flank and Rarity's found Pinkie's belly. The unicorn pressed her tongue against the earth pony's teeth, which gladly parted, letting the white mare's tongue explore her mouth. Rarity's right forehoof went lower and lower until...