They say that you never know what you have till it's gone. Twilight Sparkle could not agree more as she walked down the stairs of her library on the seventh anniversary of the death of her best friend and little brother Spike.

As she came into the living room she flicked on the lights where a small shrine was put up in memory of the young adult dragon, smiling with her and her friends while he stood over them grinning like a loon. She couldn't help but smile a little looking at the picture before tears started make their way down her face.

"I miss you so much Spike, I wish you were here and could yell at me for staying up all night again or just be here for me to talk to. It's so lonely here without your Spike." A sob escaped her as she picked up the picture and walked over to her chair holding it to her chest while memories flooded back to her on that horrible night.

(Flashback, Everfree Forest)

Twilight and her friends ran as fast as their hooves could carry them as they heard the roar of a dragon following time through the cave where they had been sent to get the harmony box back. They had been able to get the box back but then the dragon had come back just as they were making towards the exit, and it didn't help when Fluttershy screamed only confirming to the dragon that intruders were in his cave.

"Come on girls I can see the exit we're almost there!" Twilight yelled pointing to the mouth of the cave only for the dragon that was chasing them to land in front of the cave taking a deep breath about to let loose a stream of fire.

Twilight quickly threw up a barrier just as the dragon spewed fire at them. The girls groaned at the heat around them barely able to breath while Twilight grit her teeth trying to keep the shield up when all of a sudden a earth shaking explosion was heard and the fire stopped. The group looked up wide eyed to see Spike holding the other dragons snout closed and to the ground.

"RUN!!!!!" He screamed struggling to hold down the massive dragon snapping them out of their shock and ran past them.

"SPIKE COME ON!!" Twilight yelled for her little brother and paled at the small sad on his face while he shook his head.

"DASH GET THEM OUT OF HERE!!! NOW DASH!!" He screamed before looking at Twilight again.

"I'm sorry Twilight." He mouthed to her as the other dragon lifted him up slamming him into the roof of the cave.

"SPPIIIKKKKEEE!!!" Twilight screamed.

"We have to go Twi! COME WE CAN'T STAY HERE!!" Rainbow yelled grabbing the struggling mare and took off with the others not far behind.

"LET GO OF ME HE NEEDS ME! SPPIIIKKKEEE!!!" Twilight struggled as tears flowed down her face when she heard him scream.

(End Flashback)

Twilight sniffed when she heard the door open and turned to see Celestia walk in with a sad look on her face, Twilight turned back around knowing what her former teacher was going to say to her but she didn't want to hear it.

"Twilight." She heard Celestia call out to her.

"I know what you're going to say Celestia but I don't want to hear it. I won't forget him, I can't move on, I WON'T let him fade to just a distant memory." She sniffed looking down at the picture of her drake running her thumb across his smiling face.

"Twilight please you have to move on. You can't keep living like this." Celestia gently spoke watching as Twilight looked up at her with nothing but sorrow on her face.

"I can't, I can't forget him. I can't move on Celestia. I don't know how and I don't want to find out how, he was everything that I needed in my life." She sobbed while the sun goddess walked over to her pulled her into chest running her fingers through the other mares hair.

"Twilight just because you move on doesn't mean you have to forget him. He'll always be right here where it will always count." She smiled touching her fingers to Twilight's heart.

"I don't know how to move on Celestia, I don't know if I could ever live with myself if he just became some fading memory as the years past and my other friends fade away with his memory. I don't know if I can take it." She sobbed feeling Celestia coo to her.

"Twilight, I can't tell you how to move on since everypony moves on in there own way. You have to find your way and move on Twilight, do you really think that Spike would want to see you like this?" She asked getting a small laugh out of her.

"No, he would probably yell at me for not moving on and being such a mood killer." Twilight sighed looking down before looking at Celestia.

"I'll try Celestia but I won't forget him." She said as Celestia smiled at her.

"That's all I ask for Twilight, now I must be going and I look forward to seeing more of you in the castle." She smiled getting one in return and a nod.

"I'll try."

"That's all I ask for Twilight." With that Celestia flashed away while Twilight looked down at the picture.

"I won't ever forget you Spike, I'm so sorry." She hugged the photo before getting up and putting the picture back on the shrine and lit the candles around it.

"I hope you're happy wherever you are Spike."

High above was a large and muscular dragon laying on a cloud with his claws behind his head looking up at the night sky with a small smile and happy tears in his golden slit pupils while the rest of his eyes were black.

"I'll see you in the morning Twilight, I'm finally home." He sighed looking down at the library fighting every part of his being not to go down there and see the only constant mare that was on his mind since he had been gone.

"I can't believe it's been seven years already when you're in a coma." He sighed rolling back over letting the memories come back to him.

(Flashback)

Spike watched as the girls ran away happy that they were going to be ok. He looked over at the other dragon who was beaten and bloody much like himself. Spike's eye was swollen shut and he was pretty sure that his left wing was broke only with three of his ribs, not only that but a huge bolder had fallen on his legs and now he was at the mercy of the other dragon.

"For such a small member of our kind your power is very impressive, what is your name youngling?" The other dragon panted while Spike groaned trying to push the bolder off of him.

"My name is Spike and you better leave my friends alone." He growled weakly as the other dragon laughed.

"Oh still got a lot fight in you huh, well I'm sorry to say but those ponies stole what is mine so now I will steal their lives." He smirked looking down at the smaller dragon who's face was in the dirt.

"You. Won't. Touch. THEM!" He roared as he felt a massive amount of power flood his system and his mind go blank, the only thing left on it that he could remember?

Kill.

(End Flashback)

Spike remembered waking up on a grass mattress a few years ago and came face to face with another dragon, a much older white dragon with a fierce yet kind look on his face, like a stern grandfather.

It was there that he found out about his coma and the fate of the other dragon that he had slain with his own claws and where he would be for another few years to control his new power and to learn about their history and culture.

Though he was depressed that he couldn't return home right away, he was excited about learning about his kind and possibly his past. What he did learn was that he was royal and the last surviving member of the once great royal dragon clan that ruled all of the dragons thousands of years ago.

He had learned so much from the other dragon, from manners to fighting he learned it all and was proud of it all and was a little to sad to leave the old dragon. But with his last growth spurt he had grown to be as big as his father from what the other dragon said was about as big as the Mother of all Ursa Majors.

But he had figured a way to keep his size down with the help of the old dragon and was much more comfortable smaller than in his true form.

Spike smiled saying a small prayer for the older dragon that he began to see as a grandfather hoping that he was ok. He looked over the edge again as the sun dipped below the horizon watching Applejack pull her cart with a now adult Applebloom behind her.

He spotted Rarity walking with a stallion back to her home arm in arm making him smile that she had found happiness after his supposed death and was still the top fashion designer in Equestria from what he heard when passing through some of the towns on the way from the border near dragon lands.

He looked towards Sugarcube Corner where even Pinkie Pie was kissing a stallion and mare before they parted ways, he grinned like a loon not at all surprised that she was in a herd but none the less happy for her.

He sighed rolling over and looked to where Rainbow's empty cloud home was and smiled wide hearing of her finally achieving her goal of becoming a Wonderbolt and was currently touring the nation, and from the gossip was dating Soarin.

Thinking of Rainbow he began to think of Fluttershy and her husband and foal that was three years old next week. He was a little surprised when he heard that his little timid friend was dating Snowflake the new weather team leader and was the first of all their friends to be married and with a child.

He chuckled to himself thinking of how it's always the quiet ones that make it first.

As his eyes began to close he felt something land on his cloud making him look up to see the wide eyes of Rainbow Dash staring down at him before they narrowed.

"Hey bub I don't know who you are but you better not be thinking of causing any trouble." She growled watching him blink before he rolled his golden eyes.

"Yes ma'am, I'm just here to visit some family of mine that I haven't seen in a long time is all." He stated laying back down with his arms behind his head felt her move closer and opened one eye to see her examining him.

"See something you like wonder mare?" He asked smiling watching her blush.

"Yeah right I have a stallion for your information, but you look like somepony I know." She continued to eye him while he swallowed but didn't show his nervousness as he shrugged.

"I'm sure that it's just a coincidence. Now if you don't mind I'm going to have a long day ahead of me so please let me sleep." He stated waving her off hearing her grunt.

"Yeah sure but I have my eyes on you." She said while he held his tongue at the come back.

"Of course." He nodded letting his eyes close hearing her fly off while he drifted off to sleep.

'I'm coming home Twilight.' He thought before letting sleep take him.

The next morning Celestia's sun woke him bright and early making him smile and stretch before rolling off the cloud spreading his wings and gliding down to the library knowing Twilight that she would still be asleep from studying.

He landed in front of the door and lifted the mat finding a key grabbing it and unlocking the door ducking his head as he walked into the dark home except for the small glow from the corner of the room where Twilight's desk was when she studied. He shook his head trying to keep as quiet as possible making his way over to the study finding her right where he thought she would be, slumped over her desk with a pen in hand along with a little bit of drool on the desk.

"I don't know how many times I've told you how bad that is for your back Twi." He grumbled softly walking over to getting a better look at her.

He blushed a little a cute little snores she was giving off before he shook his head and smiled.

'You've become so much more beautiful Twilight since I left.' He thought moving a lock of hair from her mouth before spotting the tear streaks on her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Twilight, I promise I'll never leave you again." He whispered picking the mare up who snuggled into his warm chest.

"Spike, I'm so sorry I forgot you." She mumbled making him freeze and look down at the mare and leaned down nuzzling her.

"I know you never forgot me Twi. That's what I love about you." He whispered feeling her snuggle into him more as they made their way upstairs where he laid her down struggling a little to get her to let go hearing her moan in disappointment before wrapping her arms around her body pillow.

"Goodnight Twilight." He whispered turning and heading back downstairs to straighten up the library and fix her breakfast.

Spike smiled to himself as he started to make her favorite pancakes heading over to the fridge and opening it only to find it nearly bare making him grumble to himself closing the door and turned heading out the kitchen and then out of the house heading for Derpy's house since Sugarcube Corner was out of the question at the moment.

The walk there was quick and he was able to catch the mare just as she was starting to shift along with a bone crushing hug from his friend and many tears later from the two as well as a Pinkie promise to not tell anypony about him being back in town. He watched the giddy mare fly away just as another mare walked out wrapping her arm around his waist and leaned into him.

"I'm glad you're finally home Spike." She said getting a nod from him.

"I'm glad to be back home Dinky. I missed you guys so much." He sighed pulling his friend closer not seeing the blush on her face before they pulled away from each other.

"I'll see you later Dinky, have fun in high school." He smiled while she groaned walking off to school while he turned to come face to face with a pink teary eyed mare with a trembling lip and straight hair.

"Spike?" She whimpered as he sighed opening his arms.

"Yeah it's me Pinkie." He smiled feeling her slam into his chest as she burst into tears while he wrapped his arms around her.

Pinkie never felt so happy in all her life as she held her long lost friend and family member while she felt his powerful arms around her along with his ripped chest that she was pressing against.

"I missed you so much Spikey." She cried feeling him running his claws through her hair.

"I missed you guys so much to Pinkie." He said feeling her squeeze him tighter.

"We thought you were dead, where have you been?" She asked as he pulled back and started to explain what had gone down the last seven years while her eyes got bigger and bigger.

"You were in a coma?" She whimpered laying her head on his chest wrapping her arms around him again with him doing the same with his arms.

"Yeah, I thought of you guys all the time while I was gone and wanted to come home and let everypony know that I was ok." He sighed pulling her closer.

"So what are you going to do now?" She asked as he smiled down at her making her blush.

"Well I'm gonna surprise Twilight when she wakes up later today and tell her about my heritage and what will happen from there on. I'll need to start my clan back up again once word that the royal prince is alive, I'm sure that I'll be getting many suitors from all kinds of different people from all over the world.

Pinkie narrowed her eyes hearing this and thinking of ponies or anyone taking advantage of her friend. She was going to make sure that was not going to happen. EVER.

Her grip tightened on him still thinking of that before she heard him chuckle and felt him pull back disappointing her a little as he down a little pecking her on the forehead as her face lit up with a blush.

"Spike?" She stuttered watching him stand back up.

"I'm so happy to see that you have moved on Pinkie and I'm glad that you found love in your life." He smiled placing his large hand on her face wiping some of her tears away with his thumb while using the back side of it to wipe the others on other side of her face away.

Pinkie grabbed his claw holding it where it nuzzling it feeling the warmth from him flow through her.

"You're not leaving again are you Spike?" She asked as he smiled shaking his head.

"No of course not Pinkie. You should come by later after Twilight is up and we've had a chance to talk." He stated getting a happy smile from her.

"I have to say Pinkie the biggest thing I missed while I was gone was that beautiful smile of your's, I could have really used that during the hard times." He said watching her blush.

"Thanks Spike." She said pecking him on the cheek before pulling back as they smiled at each other.

"Well I better get back to work and make Twilight her breakfast." He said as she nodded.

"Yeah, ok. I um need to get back to work to." She smiled still with a light blush on her face and watched him walk down the street.

'You've really grown up Spike.' She thought missing the warmth from him already.

Spike walked toward the tree house he passed by Applejack at her stand glad she didn't recognize him as he made it to the library happy that nopony else saw him. He set the things down and looked around the dusty and chaotic library and sighed.

"Well better get to work." He told himself rolling up his sleeves.

Some hours later Twilight stirred from her slumber looking around to see she was in her bed confusing her.

' I don't remember going to bed this morning.' She thought before the scent of her favorite pancakes rose to meet her making her stomach grumble.

Twilight's mouth watered as she stumbled down the stairs when she heard someone in her kitchen making her sigh thinking it was Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy I told you that you don't need to worry about me I'm fine." She called out expecting to hear a squeak but only got a grunt making her freeze.

"Not from what I saw Twi, this place was filthy not only that but it's like you don't even eat anymore from the empty fridge. We're gonna have to go buy some food later." She heard as a large handsome dragon walked out of the kitchen with his arms crossed narrowing his golden eyes at her.

"Who are you?" She asked searching for some kind of weapon in case this dragon got violent.

"Ouch Twilight, I didn't think I changed that much in the last seven years." He stated as she froze.

"S-S-Spike?" She asked hoping against hope that this wasn't some cruel dream.

"The one and only, unless you got another dragon assistant named Spike around here?" He smiled only to be knocked over from the purple missile that slammed into chest.

"SPIKE!" She screamed hugged him as tight as she could while burying her face into his chest feeling his large arms wrap around her and pulled her closer to him.

"It's me Twi, I'm finally home." He sniffled holding the mare tighter.

Author's Note

looking for editors so if you have to time please pm me your Email so I can share it with you on google drive