It was getting late. The sun had set about a hour ago and night was in full effect. His parents would start to be getting worried; but Flash just couldn't leave. Not yet at least. It was Friday night, so he had more time than usual. Time. Every day since Twilight had left for the second time; he had come here, sat, and waited. Time. Time passing in long seconds but short days. Time. Time he sacrificed, hoping she would return. He was stupid, he was crazy, but it was his time to waste.

He wondered why she had had such an effect on him. He barely knew her really. But since that very first time he bumped into her; he was taken. There was a sweetness and innocence to her. She had looked so lost and vulnerable. But then he had seen her great strength and will. She was attractive, but no overly so; a perfect 7 (and only a fool could ask for more). She was what any man would and could want. She was perfect.

And she was gone.

Was she gone for good? Maybe. Possibly. Probably. And he was a fool for coming here and waiting to see if she would come back. He felt all this but still he stayed on the off chance, the 1 in 1,000,000 chance she would be back. So he sat in front of the statue, every night, and waited.

What made it worse was the fact that he knew, just on the other side of that stone. she was there. But it wasn't just on the other side of the stone. It was another dimension which could only be accessed through a portal that was contained within the stone, but was now closed. She was so tantalizing close, yet so impossibly far away.

"Oh, Flash! I'm sorry."

Flash turned around and saw Sunset Shimmer standing behind him; a look of embarrassed shock on her face. "Oh, hey Sunset," he said a little embarrassed himself. "So what brings you here?"

Sunset turned a little red. "I'm guessing the same thing that brought you here." Sunset was embarrassed. She too had been coming here every night since Twilight left. Until now she had gotten here after Flash had left.

Flash turned and looked back at the statue. "Probably," he said in a self scolding voice. It was also the voice of a person on the verge of giving up all hope.

"I can leave if . . ."

"No," Flash cut Sunset off. "Please stay, if you want. I could use the company. It'll give me someone to talk to besides myself."

Sunset walked over and sat beside him on the ground. "Well, this is weird," she said just looking all around except in Flash's direction.

Flash gave a little chuckle. "Yeah. Never thought I'd be sitting with you again. No offense."

"None taken," Sunset responded with her own laugh. She really meant it as well. She learned over the past seven months not to take anything too personally. It was all part of her growth. Sunset then grew really quiet and somber. "You miss her, don't you?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't." The irritation was clear in his voice. He knew she was only trying to start a conversation with him; to give him the opportunity to talk about his feelings, but it was still a dumb way to start the ball rolling in his mind.

"Me too," Sunset said sadly and dropped her head.

Flash could hear the same hurt and loneliness in her voice as he had in him. He scolded himself for not being nicer and getting mad so quickly. He should say something. She was obviously hurting. And if nothing else, they used to date. And that's when it caught him. The hidden question he always wanted to ask but never knew was inside of him. "Sunset, why me?"

"Huh?" she asked back; not knowing what he was talking about.

"Why me? Why did you decide to ask me out? What was it about me that you liked? Or did like anything?" He turned and looked directly at her.

Sunset turned and looked him straight in the eyes. "Honestly, you were popular and I used you to become more so myself. You are a nice guy. And you have the personality type that can mesh with just about anyone. Rockers, jocks, outcasts, rich kids, you easily fit in with all of them and by dating you, I got access to all those groups as well to manipulate and bend to my will. You were a pawn and nothing more." Sunset didn't sugar coat anything. She told him straight forward why she did what she did. It wasn't to hurt him (although she supposed it did), but so he could truly know who she had been.

"Oh." Flash just sort of nodded his head and looked down at the ground.

"Now let me ask you something," she said. "Why did you resist so long? I poured everything into getting you and you never bit. Most guys would have jumped at the chance to be with me. Not to sound like Rainbow Dash or anything, but I am pretty darn attractive by human standards. So why?"

"Same reason I broke up with you; I knew you were fake. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy; you are hot; but I could tell your heart wasn't in it. I knew I was being played. But you just wore me down. And, like I said, you're hot. So I wanted to believe that you really did want me. But after we started dating, it was all too clear you didn't."

Sunset nodded her head. "Flash, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I can't even say I didn't mean for it to happen because I did. All of it. I just hope you forgive me eventually."

Flash continued to look down. "I already have. Mostly. I mean, dang, what you said just now; brutal. But you were honest and risked me flipping out on you. I respect that. You're owning your past. And you helped defeat the Dazzelings. That's no minor feet."

Sunset started to reach out to touch his shoulder but pulled back. "Thanks. That means a lot."

They sat there in awkward silence for awhile. Each lost in their own heads, trying to make sense of the situation and their own feelings. Finally Flash spoke. "So why did you stay? You could have gone back. So why did you stay behind?"

"Technically, I'm in exile. The first time, Twilight said I was to stay and make amends and learn the true meaning of friendship. The second time, I felt I still had more to learn. I'm still just coming into my own. When the time is right, I'll return. Maybe. I want to return, but I'm beginning to like it here. I'm starting to feel like I belong somewhere. I don't know. It's all up in the air now. I get so confused at times."

"Yeah." It was all Flash could think to say. He saw a stone laying on the ground, picked it up, and threw it at the statue and both he and Sunset watched as it went straight into the portal.

Both stood up and gasped. The portal was still open. How could this be? Twilight should have closed it once she went back.

"That's not right! It shouldn't have done that! It should be closed!" Sunset said. She was terrified. With the portal opened anyone or thing could cross over. What if the Sirens came back and found it? What is someone accidently fell into it? It seemed greatly irresponsible for Twilight to leave it open.

"What do we do? We can't let that open. Someone could get hurt. Couldn't they?" Flash said confused and a bit scared.

Sunset decided she would have to write Twilight and tell her to close the portal. But then another idea came to her. Slowly she smiled and looked at Flash. "We can cross over."

"What?!" Flash said in shock.

"We can go over. We simply walk through the portal, come out in Equestria, and tell Twilight she needs to close the portal. It'll be a short little excursion. We both get to see Twilight again. I get to see home again, for a little while at least. What do you say?" Sunset was getting really excited now.

"I don't know. What if something happens?"

"I can't say it won't, but risk it. For Twilight? For the safety of both our worlds?" Sunset was almost to the point of begging. She really didn't want to cross over alone. So she hopped and prayed to whatever higher forces that may be listening that Flash would say yes.

Flash looked down at the ground and Sunset was sure he'd say no. He then snapped his head and said with a smile, "Let's go. For my world and yours."

Author's Note

Show timeline is around "Amending Fences". So when they cross over, Twilight won't be there.