What Comes Next

It was mid afternoon, normally too early to close the stand. Big Macintosh assured them that he would think of something to tell Granny Smith. After the scene played out in the market he was pretty certain that there would be few customers for a while.

The three had spoken few words since they left the market and they were now almost to the farmhouse. Passing row upon row of apple trees, all laden with bright fruit of several colors, it was hard for Applejack to believe that she had spent the entire morning and into the afternoon bucking nonstop.

The harvest season had just begun a few weeks ago but the wind had a bitter bite to it. A stray gust blew a patch of leaves from a nearby apple tree, sending a shiver through Lyra, who's work and studies often kept her inside on most days. It did not escape Applejack and Big Macintosh who gathered a bit closer to her acting as a shield to the winds.

"Thanks guys, for everything. And I'm sorry Bonbon made such a scene. I don't know what got into her." Lyra remarked, trying to hide the shiver in her voice.

"Ah reckon there weren't nothin ya could've done. Sounds ta me like she had kept all that bottled up for a long time. Surely it was gonna come out sooner or later." Applejack said with a warm smile. She certainly wasn't going to say it aloud, but she was glad to no longer feel as though the world was resting entirely on her, she found in Lyra somepony to share it's weight, if only for a while.

"Um… I don't mean to pry, but I never knew you liked mares, did… did we just out you to the whole town?" Lyra's head was hung low, she looked over to Applejack, still avoiding eye contact.

"Well, there were a few ponies that already knew, but not many. Pretty sure this is news to mah brother though."

"Eeyup." Big Mac had scarcely said more the entire trip. He never was much for words, but more than that he had no idea how to breach the subject, or what to say if he did.

"You mean your family didn't even know yet?" Lyra stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening. "I am so-so-sooooo sorry AJ."

Applejack turned around. Facing Lyra she could see plainly the guilt across her face. "Sugarcube, they had to find out sooner or later. Jus' so happens it's gonna be sooner. Heck, ah reckon y'all done me a favor, like rippin' off a bandage. Still stings a bit, but all in all ah'm glad for it." Applejack took a deep breath and turned back to face her brother.

"Big Mac, ah know that you would never hate me cause ah like mares, right?"

"Nnope"

"And you'll help me figure out a way ta tell Granny that won't make her hate me, right?"

"Eeyup"

"And… well… Ah know ya have a thing for Fluttershy, and ah know yer probably pretty upset that ah'm the one that got to her." Applejack swallowed hard, she could feel her stomach twisting again. "Well what ah mean is… ya see… well.…"

"Ya don't have to apologize AJ. Tha way ah see it, if the both of us want the same thing it's only natural that only one of us could get it in the end. Ah s'pose ah wont be able ta go after her without rememberin' this, but nopony said she'd be the only one out there."

The wind blew hard. A tiny squeak could barely be heard above the sound of the rustling leaves. Applejack turned towards the sound. It was Lyra. The small mare was shivering profusely, she was simply not built for the cold.

"Let's all get inside, we can talk more where it's warm." Applejack motioned to the house a short distance away. They all began walking again, a little closer.

"Do ya need ta get anything from yer house Lyra?" Applejack asked as she busied herself with dusting the various knickknacks and doodads arranged on the dresser. They rarely had visitors stay overnight so there was little point in keeping up the room when nopony was expected.

"There is nothing I can think of." Lyra was changing the bedsheets. She had insisted on helping out as much as she can. Applejack insisted that Lyra, being a guest, should not have to. This was the compromise. "Besides, even if there was, I don't think I am ready to see Bonbon just yet."

"Ah completely understand, an if it'd be any help, ah could get Big Mac ta pick up whatever ya need. Ah doubt anypony would want me ta run into Bonbon either, after all that." AJ chuckled nervously. "He said he has some business or other at Sugarcube Corner t'night anyway, ah'm sure he won't mind."

Lyra stretched the quilt across the freshly made bed, the pillowcases barely peeking above the folds in the sheets. She sat down, bouncing slightly she let out a tiny giggle. "I couldn't possibly ask him to, you guys are already doing so much for me."

"It's no trouble at all, really." Applejack said as she watched Lyra bounce, crinkling the fresh bedclothes. She couldn't remember seeing a genuine smile today and Lyra was the last pony she expected to have one.

"I like this bed. It's a little creaky, but super soft." Looking around the room she noticed several pictures on the walls. Each picture had a different pony in it, but every one of them had some sort of apple related cutie mark. "I guess these pictures are some of the other Apple family members?"

"Yup, I haven't met all of them, but Granny can tell you all of there names, birthdays, exactly how every one of them is related, even their favorite color. I don't know how anybody can keep up with all that."

"Wow, I wish I had a big family like you guys. I'm an only child, and so are both my parents." Looking at all the smiling faces in the pictures Lyra giggled again. As she examined the room she noticed a small shadowbox in the corner. "What's that there?"

"Fluttershy made that for mah birthday a couple years back, it's a diorama of the farm, she collected the molted feathers from like twenty different birds to make it." Applejack pointed to a small yellow pony shape on the side. "This is one of her own pinions, she says it didn't come out well, but ah think it's beautiful." For the first time today, Applejack felt a genuine smile on her own face.

"She is really pretty, really nice too. I can see why you like her."

"Yeah, well, ah don't suppose that really matters much right now." Applejack sighed. "What happened was a mistake, we were both drunk and, well, she probably hates me now."

"Are you kidding? Just look at that shadowbox, it must have taken her weeks, maybe months to make that. She obviously cares for you. And even if it was a mistake, even if she doesn't want to have a relationship, she can't possibly hate you." Lyra said as she flopped onto her back. She patted the sheets to either side of her, enjoying the softness of the handmade quilt.

"Ah sure hope yer right. Ah don't mind if we can't have a relationship, but ah could never forgive mahself if we couldn't have our friendship."

"That's not true, you love her, of course you mind if you can't have a relationship. And there have to be some feelings there or what happened would have never happened." Lyra sat up again. "There is a chance that she has real feelings for you. It may be tricky, but if you really love her shouldn't you try to find them?"

"Ah dunno Lyra, she seemed pretty upset about it." Applejack scratched the back of her neck. "Say, how did you find out about us again?"

"Oh, well Spike told me, I don't think he realized what was going on, and I'm pretty sure Twilight was going to talk to him after I left. She even closed the library after I left." Lyra's smile disappeared, replaced again by guilt. "I'm really sorry I told Bonbon, I made her promise not to tell anypony. I never expected that she would react like that."

"Don't worry 'bout it, ah wouldn't expect ya to keep secrets from yer marefriend." Applejack's stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since breakfast, and she had thrown that up. "Ya wanna get somethin ta eat?"