It was Twilight who awoke first on Hearth's Warming morning. Considering it had been snowing heavily for the past few days, the sunlight coming through the window next to the bed was a welcome sight, making the young mare smile. Looking around, Twilight noticed she was the first one awake; an uncommon occurrence in this household. This morning as the young mare looked around the room, she noticed Pepper curled up in her bed and beside her, Flash was also still sleeping peacefully. Sitting up, Twilight looked over towards the cradle at the end of the bed and was surprised to notice that Starry too was still deep in slumber.

Laying back down, Twilight waited for the rest of her family to awaken. She knew it wouldn't be too long considering the day. Flash was like a kid himself when it came to presents, as was Pepper; even if all she got was extra hay bacon for the day. Twilight looked forward to the day Starry would be old enough to join in the frenzy as well, but at only three months old, that day was long off.

Twilight continued to think when she snapped out of it because of the movement beside her. Flash was finally awake, and turning over, was surprised to see his wife already awake beside him.

"How long have you been awake for?" Flash asked her with a chuckle, "You're usually the last one to get up, even on Hearth's Warming."

Twilight smiled. "Yeah, I noticed that, but it hasn't been too long; only a few minutes. We still have a few sleepyheads though," Twilight said, nodding her head a still sleeping dog a baby filly in her cradle.

Flash shrugged and smiled at his wife. "Doesn't matter, we'll start without them," Flash said eagerly and Twilight rolled her eyes with a laugh at the eagerness in Flash's voice.

"You're as bad as a kid," Twilight told him with a shake of her head. "You and Starry will be as bad as each other when she gets older, Celestia help us. Then if Pepper joins in, I'll be the only adult in a house full of over excited kids," Twilight joked.

"Well thank you, I try," Flash quipped, making Twilight roll her eyes again; but she had to smile. Flash never usually acted childish, in exception to Hearth's warming and it was fun to see. Twilight then looked at the still sleeping forms of Pepper and Starry and gave Flash a grin.

"I guess we might as well start without them then. Do you want your present first?" asked Twilight grinning as she went to get up, but Flash shook his head.

"Actually I want to give you your present first if that's ok?" Flash said enthusiastically as he got up and went over to his desk, rummaging around in one of the drawers before pulling a small object out and hiding it with his wing nervously, a little unsure o how to proceed.

"Um, close your eyes...I don't want you to see the present just yet," Flash said nervously as he tried to keep the present hidden.

Twilight rolled her eyes in amusement at Flash's nervousness. "Flash, you're going to give me the present anyway, why hide it?" she asked.

Flash smiled at her. "I want it to be special when you see it," he said. "Can you just close your eyes? You'll see it in a moment I promise" Flash asked her pleadingly and with a sigh, Twilight did as she was asked. As she closed her eyes, she heard Flash approach her slowly and after that, she felt Flash's hooves brush against her neck as he clipped the object up. Twilight could tell it was a necklace, which was cold and metal as it came to rest on her chest, before Flash gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, removing his hooves and backing up.

"Alright, you can open your eyes," Flash said gently.

Twilight slowly opened her eyes and looked down at the present around her neck, gasping as she saw a beautiful oval shaped golden locket, engraved in both pictures and writing. Engraved in the middle of the locket was two swords crossing over a book representing Flash and Twilight. Below this, a feather from Owlicious and a few tufts of fur from Pepper underneath the swords and book, representing the owl and the dog in their lives. The locket could obviously open up too, but it was the writing on the edge of the locket that had Twilight suddenly bring a hoof to her muzzle in shock, as she tried to hold back a sob and Flash smiled, expecting this reaction.

The writing around the locket read 'My True Love' in a neat cursive. This expression was rarely ever used in Equestria, it held a great meaning for the couple saying it to each other. Telling someone that they were your 'True Love' was the most ultimate symbol of love and devotion and even Flash and Twilight had only used it twice in their lives. The first was when Flash proposed, and the other in the vows at their wedding. Hearing, or in this case, reading it in everyday life was special which is why it meant so much to Twilight.

"Oh Flash," Twilight choked out tearfully, "It's beautiful, but when did you have the time to get this made?"

Flash smiled lovingly at her and held her hooves in his gently. "Do you remember that time when I realized that Starry was a hassle to take care of and ran off to go and do something?" he asked gently.

Twilight looked up at him in astonishment. "I thought you went out to get away from Starry because of what she did!" she exclaimed. "But instead you went and got this made. But, why?" Twilight asked quietly.

Flash shrugged, giving her a small smile. "I wanted you to know how much you mean to both of us," he stated simply. "You carried Starry for 9 months, were in labour with her for 12 hours and then coped with her screaming when I left the house without help for almost a month." He smiled at Twilight warmly. "I made this because I love you and you deserved it," Flash said with a hint of emotion in his voice.

Twilight looked at the locket before flicking her eyes into her husband's, unable to say anything. The locket was beautiful, and the most amazing present she had ever received from Flash, but she found herself utterly speechless to say this. The next instant she jumped into his hooves and wrapped her forelegs around his neck, knocking the air out of him as tears began to spill out of her eyes in happiness.

"I love you too," Twilight mumbled into his shoulder and Flash chuckled as he wrapped his hooves around her tighter in response, before kissing the top of her head.

"Well milady, I believe I have made you speechless," Flash said chuckling and Twilight laughed into his chest, before she looked up at Flash with a watery smile.

"Whose fault is that?" she chuckled. "Flash, this locket is beautiful, thank you so much. I will never take this off," she said emotionally as she held the locket to her heart. Flash smiled back at her happily, before cupping her cheek and pulling her to his lips in a passionate, yet gentle kiss. Twilight's eyelids fluttered closed as she melted into Flash's embrace, kissing him back with every bit as much passion as he was. Flash's hoof went up to cup her other cheek as he deepened the kiss even further and Twilight just responded by covering the hoof on her face with hers.

They didn't know how long they kept it up, but after a few minutes, both of them began to get breathless and they half heartedly broke away from the kiss smiling at each other contentedly. Flash wiped a story tear off Twilight's cheek that she didn't even realize she'd shed, causing her to blush but smile at her husband.

Flash then took the locket in his hooves. "It opens as well," Flash said gently as he showed Twilight the latch on the locket, before he opened it to reveal a small strand of Starry's dark navy blue hair inside, making Twilight laugh quietly.

"Trust you to think of a way to keep Starry with me at all times as well as you. This locket is amazing," Twilight said in awe of the little trinket.

Flash wrapped his foreleg around her shoulders and kissed her mane again. "I was going to give it to you the night Starry was sick last month, but I decided to wait until Hearth's Warming. I hope I was right?" Flash asked her, uncertain.

Twilight smiled, leaning her head against his neck. "It was perfect timing Flash," she assured him. "I don't think I would have appreciated it as much after I'd been thrown up on that night," Twilight giggled, which made Flash laugh as well.

A small gurgle from Starry's crib made them turn. Their baby girl was finally awake.

"Looks like somebody's finally awake. Want me to get her?" Twilight asked Flash eagerly, as she moved to get up, just as they heard a low coo in the corner of the room. It looked like Pepper was also awake.

"Well that was convenient," Flash said dryly, making Twilight laugh as she stood up to go over to the cradle, while Flash got up and went over to Pepper.

"Morning girl, happy Hearth's Warming. I'll get you your extra Hay Bacon when we go down to the kitchen alright?" Flash told her with a grin as he scratched her behind the ears. Pepper gave her owner a low coo in understanding, nuzzling up to him, before coming over to the bed to watch the two parents give their baby girl her first Hearth's Warming gift.

Twilight looked into the cradle with a smile, where Starry was fully awake and gurgling happily away. "Well, good morning sweetie, you look very happy this morning. Are we ready for our Hearth's Warming present?" Twilight asked her daughter with a smile, before she picked up the gurgling filly and brought her over to the bed where Flash beamed at his daughter as she was placed on the bed.

"Well someone looks very giggly this morning. Happy Hearth's Warming, my little warrior," said Flash with an excited tone in his voice, missing his daughter's forehead resulting in a warm smile form Twilight as she sat on the bed.

"Ever since she learned how to giggle, she hasn't stopped," Twilight said proudly as she tickled her daughter's belly, making her giggle a little more.

"Do you think we should give her her present now?" asked Flash eagerly as he tickled his giggling daughter. With a smile, Twilight reached over to the desk beside the bed and pick up their little girls gift, resulting in a smile from Flash as he saw it.

It was Flash's old royal guard 'plushie' that his mother had made for him. Flash had been completely stuck as to what to give his little girl for her first Hearth's Warming, and finally decided to pass the toy down to his daughter, with his mother Honey Suckle agreeing it was a beautiful idea considering it never got played with anymore. The toy was special to him and he hoped that one day it would be to her too.

"I just hope she doesn't react the same way I did with it," Flash said worriedly, and Twilight snorted, giving her husband a cheeky grin.

"I doubt it; she's been around royal guards since she was born. If she is, she takes after you," Twilight giggled, as Flash chuckled in agreement.

He then took his royal guard plushie from Twilight's magic with his hooves and lowered it into Starry's vision. "Who's afraid of the big bad guard?" Flash said jokingly; which Twilight rolled her eyes at. "Obviously not her," she giggled as she watched Starry over her husband's shoulder as Starry started to gurgle and reached out excitedly with all four hooves towards the stuffed guard, taking it in her hooves happily.

"Do you like your present, my little guard? Daddy picks good ones doesn't he?" Twilight said warmly as she looked at Flash with a loving smile on her face, and Flash smiled back, before giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. As he did so, Twilight's eyes suddenly widened.

"Speaking of presents, I better give you yours!" exclaimed Twilight quickly, as she got up and went over to the desk, taking out a present and handing it to Flash.

"I can't beat yours, but I hope you like it. I gave Sharp Shot the design and he made it," Twilight said nervously as Flash looked at the object in his hooves.

It was a beautiful ornate dagger; the hilt was of dark oak, carved in the likeness of a wolf with dark grayish leather wrappings mimicking the fur of a wolf. The blade was pristine, pale steel with a sharp edge on the outside and a darker flat on the inner which bore Flash's name in the script.

"Twilight this is amazing! The detail on this is incredible. You did a great job on the design, don't sell yourself short!" Flash exclaimed in amazement as he looked the dagger over, before leaning over to give Twilight a kiss on the cheek.

"I thought since you lost your other one a while back that you needed a new one," Twilight explained. "I wanted it to be special, so I spent ages on the design, and then Sharp Shot took even longer to make it!"

"That's Sharp Shot for you, but he does a good job when he puts his mind to it," said Flash with a grateful smile.

"Speaking of Sharp Shot, he and your mother will be waiting for us at his place for lunch, we better get a move on. Remember we're have lunch there and then dinner at my parent's house," Twilight said as she looked at the clock hanging on the wall.

Flash groaned in irritation, but got off the bed, being careful not to bump Starry who was still gurgling happily away with the royal guard doll, while Twilight got ready.

(This hurts)
"We'll give Pepper her extra Hay bacon before we leave too," said Twilight as she grinned at the germane shepherd, who perked up excitedly at those words, making the duo laugh.

"We didn't forget you girl, don't worry," Flash said with a grin as he patted her on the head, before he felt a small kiss on his cheek.

"That's for giving me the best Hearth's Warming gift I could have ever asked for. Thank you," Twilight said happily.

As the couple walked through Ponyville that day ponies stopped them and looked at Twilight's new locket. This present surprised many of the townsfolk. Ponies rarely ever used the expression 'My True Love' like this, and Twilight felt the luckiest mare alive. Many said that it was the best gift that Flash could have ever given the lovely princess that was his wife.

Twilight just thought that it was the best Hearth's Warming gift she could ever receive and it was that reason, that from day on, she never took it off.

Author's Note

Haha took me 32 hours to type this chappie up. Plus I was in the mood for something christmasy because everyone at school is OMG I CANT WAIT TILL CHRISTMAS and HURRAY HALLOWEEN IS ALMOST HERE THAT MEANS CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Lol I'm sorry I had to say that. Hope you enjoyed it! Be sure to leave a like, comment and fav! Peace!