Revelations

Soon, news had gone all over Ponyville about Octavia's pregnancy, it was the talk of the town. Applejack hated it. She started bucking the trees harder than usual out of anger. Nick noticed this, and as soon as she saw him, she started to run off, but Nick cut her short.

"AJ, what's wrong? Don't lie to me, you know you can't.", Nick said.

"Promise me ya won't get mad?", she sighed.

"I promise...", he frowned, a little concerned.

"I'm just...jealous I guess.", she teared up.

"Why?", Nick asked, putting his wing around her.

"I'm just afraid that after you and Octavia have kids, you won't have any time for me anymore.", she cried on his shoulder.

"AJ! I'll always have time for family! You're family, so don't worry. I may be busy sometimes, but I'll always have time for you. Apple Eyes!"

"Fur Face!", Applejack grinned.

"Apple Kisser!"

"Long Horns!"

"Apple Licker!"

"Dragon Boy!"

"Apple Picker!"

"I uhh,...got nothing else.", Applejack laughed, having run out of ideas.

"Bravey! AJ! I need help moving this dresser!", Octavia shouted.

"She's probably trying to find room for the crib.", Nick deduced.

"Ya already bought a crib?", Applejack asked surprised.

"I know, but then again, we wouldn't have to go find one at the last second.", Nick reasoned.

"Yeah, I guess you have a point.", Applejack agreed.

So they helped Octavia, who was getting a little round, move the dresser and make room for the crib. It was beautiful, pure oak wood, with little figures of Octavia and Nick carved on the headboard, and a willow wood mobile with a wooden Luck Dragon, an apple, a quarter note, and a heart hanging down from it.

Applejack gaped at it, "It's beautiful! Where'd you get this?"

"Custom made from Manehattan!", Octavia smiled, kissing Nick.

"AJ's right, it's wonderful! Especially my representation!", he smiled, pointing to the carved image of himself at the headboard, "They actually got my snout right!"

"Yeah, I made them promise to get it right.", Octavia smiled.

"Thank you, Tavi.", Nick grinned, putting his wing around her.

Applejack started to walk out, her head bowed.

"AJ? Come here.", Nick said. As she went over to Nick, tears started filling her eyes as he put his wing around her.

"I'll always have time for you, AJ. And remember, even though I'll be having kids, I still love you. That goes for the whole family! You can't just assume that when someone moves to another stage of their life, they immediately forget about loving you, I had tell my little girl that once.", he preached.

"Your 'little girl'?", Applejack and Octavia asked suspiciously.

Nick sighed, "I suppose I should have told you two earlier, but I didn't really want to talk about it. I was married once, but she...she..."

"We understand, Bravey, we understand.", Octavia said, trying to comfort him, since he was on the verge of tears.

"And my little Ananasrenette, she's the only thing I have to remember her by.", Nick cried, Octavia not feeling the slightest hint of jealousy.

All of a sudden, a small yellow earth pony filly, about 8, with an white mane, a basket of yellow green speckled apples for a cutie mark, walked in (escorted by Luna's guards) and examined Nick sternly, while Nick stared at her with hope in his eyes.

After she finished examining him, the filly saw the hope in his eyes and smiled, "Pop!"

"Ana!", Nick cried, "I'm so sorry I haven't exactly been Dad of the year. But..."

"Pop, it's alright. I miss Mom too. I'm just glad to have you still. I love you. I always will, because you're my Pop, and I'm your Little Ananasrenette.", the filly smiled, on the verge of tears, as she hugged her father.

It was such a tearful reunion of father and daughter, that Octavia and Applejack started crying.

"Girls, this is my only daughter from my marriage with My Dear Rachel, Ananasrenette, Ananasrenette, this your Aunt Applejack, and your new mother, Octavia.", Nick sighed a sigh of happiness after his hug from Ananasrenette.

"Auntie AJ," she smiled tipping her hat to her.

"You're beautiful, just like your father...", Applejack grinned, hugging her niece.

"Huh, that's funny, Pop always told me I looked like my mother.", Ana giggled.

"Yes, but you have your father's eyes.", Octavia smiled, getting rounder with each passing month.

"So Pop finally got married again, huh? How come I wasn't invited?", Ana asked.

"I'm sorry, Ana, I didn't think about you actually wanting to come. I'm a bad father...", Nick sighed, "I just mess everything up with family."

"Pop, you didn't mess up on me!", she said, putting a hoof around him.

"I guess I didn't, let's go have dinner.", he smiled, as everyone but him and Ananasrenette left the room.

But the guards were no longer there! Instead, invisible to everyone else, was the spirit of Rachel.

"That's my Braveheart. Now I can rest in peace, knowing that Ananasrenette is in good paws."

"Rachel...", Nick started.

"What is it, my dearest?", asked the spirit.

"Can't you stay?", he said, the tears returning to his eyes

"I wish I could, my dearest, but I must move on, just like you have.", she said, beginning to disappear.

"Rachel, WAIT!", Nick sobbed.

"Yes, dearest?", the spirit asked.

"I love you.", he said, tears streaming down his face.

"I love you too, dearest.", she smiled, kissing his snout with her ghostly lips, "Ananasrenette, my dearest Ananasrenette..."

"Mom?", the filly answered.

"My dearest Ananasrenette, always love your father, and never forget about me. And always, ALWAYS be yourself.", she beamed at her daughter, giving her a locket, it had a picture of a younger Nick, a very young Ananasrenette, and Rachel, when she was still alive.

"My dearest Braveheart, remember I'll always love you, no matter what happens. I'll always be with you, in here.", she said, putting her ghostly hoof on Nick's heart.

She kissed him one last time before saying, "Farewell, my dearest Braveheart, and my dearest Ananasrenette. I love you!", and disappearing.

"I love you too, Rachel...", Nick cried, going downstairs with Ananasrenette to have dinner with the rest of the family.