Charging back through the rest of the everfree, Nutmeg broke free of the bushes and finally got a breath of really fresh air. He let Twilight gently roll off his back so she was laying on the ground. She looked up at him with those big purple irises and put a hoof to his cheek.

"My hero."

"Twi, you listen to me. You WILL live through this because I have seen you get out of so much worse. You WILL live because I need you, Equestria needs you, and and...I LOVE YOU TWILIGHT."

She gave him a small smile and closed her eyes.

"Twi? Don't do this to me Twily, you HAVE to be okay."

Tears in his eyes, Nutmeg picked Twilight back up and rushed as fast as he could right into Ponyville. He stood still, panting like a dog, sweat and blood dripping down his flank. The world around him was going black and far away he heard a scream that was no doubt Rainbow Dash.

"HOLY CELESTIA! NUTMEG, WHAT THE BUCK HAPPENED?!"

"Need...help.........Twi...

Nutmeg's world went black and he knew no more.

He started awake and looked around to find himself in the hospital. He started panting again and began to think back on what had happened when he remembered.

*GASP* "Twilight."

Spike, who was sitting on the chair just outside his room heard him stir. He walked in to find a groggy Nutmeg who looked like he was getting over a really bad hangover.

"Hey everypony! He's awake!"

Before Nutmeg knew what was happening, five ponies were right on top of him, what remained of the elements of harmony.

"Oh my, um you don't look so good Nutmeg." Fluttershy said with concern.

"I'm fine just tell me-

"OH MY GOSH! Nutmeg what happened with you and Twilight?!" Pinkie cut in.

"I'll tell you later but-

"Nutmeg just what in Equestria were you thinking?!" Rarity interjected.

"What I was think-

"Mah, mah, I haven't seen a pony this beat up since Big Mac got one of mah apple trees to fall on 'im." Applejack said.

"GIRLS!"

Everypony went dead silent.

"I will be happy to tell you everything that happened later but right now tell me one thing. Is Twilight okay?"

Everypony's faces immediately took on a look of utter horror. Fluttershy let out what was barely a whisper.

"N-nopony told you?"

"I'm real sorry sugar cube but Twi, she...she..."

The farmer trailed off so it was Rarity that spoke up.

"Twilight never had a chance, by the time they got you two here, she was already gone.

"Nuh...No. That, that can't be true. It just can't!"

"I'm sorry Nutmeg but what Rarity's saying is the truth." Rainbow spoke up.

"But...but"

Nutmeg put his head in his hooves and started to sob, something he realized he hadn't done for a long time. He didn't even hear everypony leave and he layed back in his bed and thought once again that his life was nothing. And now, the one thing that he thought DID matter in his life, wasn't in it anymore.

Fluttershy flapped back into his room.

"Hey shy. How long since you girls left?"

"We've been out there for about an hour."

"Seems like only a few minutes. heh, crazy right shy?"

"What is?"

"You think you have years and years left with somepony but suddenly...you don't. I don't know shy. Maybe tomorrow I'll go hang myself, at least I'll be with Twily then. I let her die, after I told her nothing would ever happen to her.

"Nutmeg, you can't blame yourself for this. You did everything you could."

"I just can't help but feel like I could have done more, like I could have saved her somehow. So, what's happening out there shy?

"That's why I came in here. We figured you could use some good news."

Nutmeg shed another tear. "What could be good about this?

"Well, Twilight might be gone but the doctors WERE able to save your daughter."

"Wha...WHAT?"

"Yep. They found her abdomen wasn't harmed much and she was still alive inside her."

"Wh-where is she now?"

"In the nursery with all the other foals, totally healthy."

"Take me to her." Fluttershy hesitated. "NOW SHY."

"You um really shouldn't be moving yet."

"Then help me. I NEED to see her."

Nutmeg heaved his body up to a sitting position and with Fluttershy under one hoof, he started making his way through the halls. His mind was spinning. He couldn't believe either of these things had just happened but he knew it wouldn't sink in until later. He turned around a corner and saw that famous glass panel to look into the foal's room. It was very late at night so nopony was around. He reached the window and only looked for a minute before his eyes locked on the filly he was sure was his. He found his new reason to live.

She had his light brown mane with the Twilight's pink and purple streak through it. Her coat was the same lavender as Twilight's with a tail that was Nutmeg's color. Her eyes were her most amazing feature. One was Nutmeg's dark brown while the other was Twilight's deep purple.Nutmeg let out a deep sigh of content.

"My little Gem."

"Huh?" Fluttershy asked.

"Twi and I had a name picked out for our filly. Gemmed Moonlight."

"That's beautiful. I'm happy for you Nutmeg

"Yeah...crazy day."

Nutmeg went home a week later carrying his filly in his hooves. He nuzzled her gently and enjoyed every soft coo she made. He approached his house and memories came flooding back. Of Twilight, of long, late nights at work, and of the best years of his life. He pushed the door open to find nothing had really changed. He carried Gem upstairs and gently laid her down in her crib.

"Sleep well sweetie." He gave her a kiss on the head and slowly closed her door. He went down the hall to his own room and flopped onto the bed, completely exhausted. It was here that his thoughts were able to reach him again and he let a few more tears fall. He didn't know weather to curse the world or worship it. It had taken Twilight from him but it had also given him the most amazing little filly ever.

His thoughts kept going back to one conversation with Twilight he had a long time ago. With that thought he wiped away his tears and sat up knowing this world could try but he would prevail. Their conversation went a little something like this:

"Nutmeg, if anything were to ever HAPPEN to me-

"Hey don't talk like that Twi. Besides nothing bad will happen to you if I have anything to do with it."

"But if it did, you would keep going right? You would push on without me?"

"Twi...I...I-

"Just promise me you would keep being you and being amazing even if I wasn't here."

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

I

Author's Note

TA DA FINNITO!

WOW this was so much fun to write.

Hope all you ponies enjoyed and I already have an idea for my next fic.

Keep it cool friends and until next time this is thatbrony signing off. Peace