Twilight Sparkle sat in her library peacefully studying her books. Spike lay on the floor, half asleep, with chilled vanilla ice cream dripping from his fangs to the tiny puddle of dessert on the floor. Flipping her page, Twilight breathed in a deep, peaceful, breath. Life was beautifully perfect and peaceful in the quiet tree house.

"Twilight!" The peace was snapped up into a different reality in a matter of seconds. Fluttershy pounded on the front door, which was alarming all on its own. Twilight scurried to the door and opened it to reveal one of her best friends shaking in the door frame.

"F-Fluttershy, come in. You're shivering! Is it cold outside?" Stepping into the house, Fluttershy's stomach was turning.

"Twilight…I have a secret, and I don't know what to do," she admitted. The understanding and kind pony invited the yellow friend under her arm.

"Well, maybe I can help…" suggested Twilight. "Tell me what the matter is."

"It's not that easy," stated the flustered pegasus. "You see, my secret might hurt another pony. A pony very close to you." Twilight couldn't help but smile at the innocent mare.

"What could you, the gentlest mare in Equestria, have possibly done to hurt anypony I know?" Fluttershy looked guiltily at her friend, and her princess.

"Please, promise not to hate me forever," pleaded Fluttershy.

"I promise, no matter what it is, I will not be angry in the slightest," promised Twilight.

"I don't know…You have NO idea how awful this is." Twilight imagined Fluttershy spilling soup for the homeless ponies and then making them an entire new pot, except three degrees colder to make sure they got it on time. Or perhaps she only brushed Angel's fur three hundred times this morning. Then she thought the worst: maybe Fluttershy had forgotten one of her animal's favorite foods. That was crazy talk, Twilight thought; Fluttershy would never even do something that bad.

"I'm pregnant: with Shining Armor's baby."

Fluttershy's POV

Twilight looked at me, mouth agape, eyes wide, and breathless. Then she nervously laughed.

"Fluttershy, that's not your type of humor I know, but good one. You really shouldn't joke that way though. It might upset my sister in law." My heart threatened to burst like a balloon.

"Tw-Twilight," I said quietly, hearing my voice shake and tremble. "I'm not joking." The longer the silence went on, the longer Twilight realized the truth.

"H-how in the world could this happen? Was it a spell? Was it a bet? Did you two get possessed by Discord!? What in Celestia's royal kingdom happened!?" The reaction was the part I was the most afraid of.

"Twilight…it's a long story."

"Well we've got a lot of months to explain," she said through grit teeth. Spike emerged from the floor, looking like someone electrocuted him.

"You guys are having a foal? He's married!"

"I'm the worst mare in the world…" I whispered. She shook her head in disbelief and sighed, giving a small facehoof in frustration.

"Y-you, and my brother, had an affair?" she asked again. She couldn't stop repeating herself, and worrying. "When did this happen? HOW did this happen? Why in the world did you do this Fluttershy?"

"W-we just…found each other," I started. "We didn't plan on being more than friends but when we spent so much time together we just…we became so much more."

"Why did you come to ME?" Twilight started to act harsh, which I fully respect and understand.

"I just needed…a friend," I admitted. "I also wanted to be the one to tell you, because it shouldn't be something you hear from another pony…"

"Fluttershy, I'm sorry but I think you should leave."

"I-I understand Twilight…I am so sorry." I galloped from the tree house, unable to look back. Shining was going to be a daddy, but not by the mare he'd expect.

Shining's POV

Waking up in the morning, smell of butterscotch and love in the multicolored mane beside me, was the best feeling in the world. I walked to the mirror to suit myself for the day, and I looked in the mirror at the reflection: still sleeping like an angel. Cadence was my perfect beauty, and I don't know what made me ever risk that.

"Shining?" I hear Cadence call. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I thought I'd go on a jog," I yawned. The shimmer in her trusting eyes shot arrows into my heart's shield. She treasured me, but she had no idea what I'd done.

"Hurry back," she giggled. "I'm making your favorite breakfast. Toasted hay bacon, sunny-side up eggs, fresh fruit, and sweet cream cheese crepes." I don't deserve her. My stomach twisted, and I felt sick.

"I think my stomach hurts from dinner last night…" I said nervously.

"What'd you eat, sweetie? You weren't home.."

"I just had some spinach," I stated truthfully. I didn't have to say who cooked it, or what we did afterwards.

"Shining, you have spinach every night. No wonder your stomach is hurting," she sighed.

"I'll be right back, ok?"

"Alright, Shining," sighed Cadence. She laid her fatigued head back onto the pillow and she looked somewhat broken. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't say another lie to comfort her in a blanket of denial, and I couldn't tell her the gut wrenching truth. I'd dug myself a grave, and I was about to lie in it.

Fluttershy's POV

I took the spinach off the stove and set it to the side. The scent made me feel nauseous, and I quickly dumped it into Angel's bowl. Sitting back down, I took a deep breath. I felt so weak, and I felt even worse knowing my best friend hated me. I called Rarity an hour before, and I knew when I called her she would take her time to get here. I hated to bother anypony else, but being alone in this condition scared me. I'm four months pregnant, starting to show, and I've still not seen a doctor yet. I've been too busy hiding in my cottage, wearing baggy sweaters and throwing up every morsel I try to eat.

"Fluttershy darling, I brought your tea!" called Rarity from outside. Angel opened the door for me and I braced myself with a deep breath. Rarity stepped in the door and gasped, dropping the tea on the counter. "W-what in Equestria is going on here?"

"I'm…I'm having a foal. I don't know who else I can tell…Please, Rarity, help me." Rarity's sister, Sweetie Belle, had two foals of her own when she was very young, and I knew Rarity had single hoofedly helped her through her struggles: at least until she passed away.

"Oh, Fluttershy darling, who's the father?" I pulled a chair out for her to sit on, and sipped a bit of tea. "Don't be ashamed to tell me, Fluttershy... I'd never judge," she assured.

"You have no idea Rarity.It's much worse than what you think."

"You're having a foal, you're unmarried, and you've got more mouths to feed than any pony in Ponyville.The father is not the worst part: I'm sure."

"He's a married stallion," I whispered. Those gossip-seeking ears perked up, and there was no telling she'd rather die than keep my secret.

"Do I know him? Do I know his wife? Do you think he'll leave her for you? Will she leave, or does she even know?"

"Rarity!" Sobs came from my eyes. "I'm just worried about my foal…and my relationship with Shining." All the excitement from her expression deflated.

"Shining Armor of the royal guard is your foal's father?" I nodded in response, and Rarity gasped.

"Please don't tell Cadence, please, Rarity. He has to tell her, and I don't want anypony to think I'm some kind of home wrecker," I cried.

"Fluttershy, you are the kindest pony in all of Equestria," she promised. "I assure you: nopony will believe the truth."

"I don't want to lie anymore, and I don't want to see Shining Armor anymore," I lied.

"Oh, Fluttershy, how did any of this even begin?" she asked.

"Shining told me he loved me…and I know he never meant it…"

"Oh darling…I'm sure that's not true! I'm sure he loves you. I mean, if he was unfaithful to a princess for Celestia's sake!"

"That's just it Rarity. He was unfaithful, and when I told him I was pregnant…he talked about leaving her."

"L-leaving her?" asked Rarity. "Well I hate to be a dictionary, but his leaving Cadence and coming for you, seems a tad "home-wrecky.""

"I'm a horrible pony!" I sobbed.

"Flutter-butter, you're not horrible…" Rarity and I glanced up. The door to my cottage was opened by Shining's key I'd given him a while ago. I saw Rarity's brow furrow. She never gets that look, because it's bad for her complexion, but an extra hour in the spa was well worth expressing her feelings in the forthcoming conversation.

"Shining," she started. "Please, inform me why Fluttershy is sitting here alone, while you sit in your luxurious palace with your WIFE whom, while you should love her, is not the only marshmallow in your hot chocolate. I want to know what makes you think you can leave your marriage in the dust for a beautiful filly, OR why you could be so heartless as to leave a pregnant mare high and dry while you run off to live happily ever after."

"Excuse me Rarity, but I do believe you're speaking out of terms," Shining growled, puffing his chest out. He scared me, making me crouch below my table.

"I believe you need to make the hardest choice of your life, and that choice will harm a very good friend of mine, therefore I am NOT speaking out of terms."

"I've made my choice already, and for your information: Fluttershy and I both agreed to go our separate ways."

"Y-you said we had no choice…if I had a choice…I'd stay…" I practically whispered my words, but they were true. I wanted to stay with Shining more than anything, but I just had to get pregnant.

"Fluttershy, I came by to tell you I was going to confess to Cadence today and to apologize for putting you in this position…"

"It's not your fault…" I admitted. We all three knew that it took two ponies to make three, but it was a difficult situation we both jumped into.

"I'll take the responsibility, and fall on my sword."

"Which will be easier for you," Rarity interrupted. "While you confess to your wife, and she forgives you, Fluttershy will be left alone: just like my sister was! Then she'll starve herself due to insecurities and DIE! Who will raise her foal then?"Shining and I both gave Rarity the same look of pity. Everypony felt so badly after Sweetie's death, and it as clear to see Rarity often thought about her sister, but this situation was very different.

"I won't starve myself…" I assured. "I do want our foal to know you though…" I softly spoke.

"Rarity, please," asked Shining. "Can we have a moment?" After a moment of contemplation, Rarity made it to her hooves and stepped out of the room. "Fluttershy, I'm telling Cadence what happened, but I'm also telling her I intend to stay with you. If she wants to stay married for appearance sake: who cares? I just want to be with you, because I made my choice to stay with you and I intend to just that. This was my fault, and I'm going to take all the heat, so please don't worry: ok?" Tears streamed down my face, and Shining's gentle kisses wiped it clean.

"T-thank y-"

"No, Fluttershy," he begged. "Don't thank me…you need to rest. Let me make you something to eat."

"Can I have some spinach please?" I asked, perking up a bit.

"You have to be sick of spinach by now, we have it every night."

"Oh trust me…" I checked to make sure that Rarity was out of the room. "I could have spinach every night."

Author's Note

Auntie Rarity IS mentioned in this story from time to time, so if you haven't read it...sorry for the confusion and thanks for reading! :D