Author's Note

Just wanted to thank everypony for the comments, likes and favorites so far!

Spike Finds Out

The train continued towards Canterlot. It was dark now, a full moon out. The lights were on in the train, it wasn't very crowded.

Twilight sat by the window, starring out at the star filled sky. Her wing still pulsed in pain, her ears folded back.

“Twilight...why were our friends so worried about you? It's not like this was the first time you crashed”, Spike asked, confused.

Of course Spike wondered why...but I couldn't tell him. I couldn't even tell Spike..my longest friend.

“It's nothing Spike, they were just worried since I haven't seen them in so long”, Twilight replied, although she was unable to look at him.

“I know that...but still. They seemed really anxious that we stay longer”, Spike pointed out.

“I wish we could have, Spike. But I simply have too much to do”, Twilight said, still gazing out the train window.

“I know...but I really miss Ponyville. And the castle...”, Spike sighed sadly.

He then blinked, seeing Twilight had fallen asleep. She looked exhausted.

Spike looked at her worried. She seemed so tired lately, more than ever.

As she slept, Spike looked at the bruise on her shoulder again. The bluish black color hadn't even faded in the slightest.

The young dragon gently went to feel it, worried. As soon as he lightly touched it, Twilight flinched in her sleep, squeezing her eyes shut tighter.

“Twilight...”, Spike looked down, worried.

He knew something wasn't right, but being a child dragon still, he couldn't figure it out on his own.

Back in Ponyville, the group remained at the train station.

“We couldn't get her to tell us anything”, Rarity sighed, worried.

“Something ain't right, that's obvious”, added Applejack.

“We know she's hurt...”, Fluttershy pointed out softly.

“I hated seeing Twilight like that...she was so sad”, Pinkie looked down, tears sparkling in her blue eyes. Fluttershy gently rubbed Pinkie's shoulder, comforting her.

Rainbow Dash was quiet the whole time.

“RD, you feeling okay?”, Applejack asked, worriedly, thinking it might be the twins.

“I'm not sure..”, Rainbow Dash replied, as she kept looking down.

Fluttershy let out a dramatic, but adorable and small gasp.

“Are you in pain?”, she asked, worriedly.

“No, it's nothing to do with my foals...I'm worried about Twilight”, Rainbow Dash explained, glancing up at them.

The girls all sighed in relief.

“Don't scare us like that, darling”, Rarity said.

“We're all worried”, Pinkie said.

“I just...”, Rainbow Dash sat down.

“What is it?”, asked Fluttershy, walking over to her.

“I...I might have..figured out what's wrong”, Rainbow Dash admitted then.

All the girls crowded her then.

“You do?!”, cried Pinkie, anxiously.

“Tell us!”, Applejack said, urgently.

“I...feel terrible for thinking this. But...the way she acted. And...her broken wing, and the bruises...but most of all it was her eyes. They looked....different”, Rainbow Dash started, hesitating to say it.

“You don't reckon...”, Applejack started, nervously.

Rainbow Dash looked towards Canterlot.

“What if...Flash...”, she started.

“Hurt her?”, Pinkie Pie finished Rainbow's sentence.

Rainbow looked at her.

“To be honest...I thought about the same thing, but I didn't know if any of you would agree”, Fluttershy spoke up, softly.

“It seems...we all figured it out”, Rarity added, worriedly.

“If he's...really abusing her, why hasn't she just come to us?”, asked Rainbow Dash, fearfully.

“Something wasn't right with Twilight...it was like she was broken”, Fluttershy said.

“Well duh! Her wing was broken!”, Pinkie Pie said then, cluelessly.

“No, sugarcube. We mean her spirit seemed broken”, Applejack explained.

“The way she constantly held her head low...almost like she was constantly submitting...”, Rainbow pointed out.

“And her ears were always folded back, and she looked almost terrified”, Rarity said.

“And her smile...was not her real smile. It was forced...”, Pinkie Pie added.

“She almost started crying when I talked to her. I could see it in her eyes...”, Applejack said.

“Same with me”, Fluttershy added.

“So what do we do?”, cried Rarity.

“We'll have to go to Canterlot tomorrow morning”, decided Rainbow Dash.

“But...any time we've tried visiting her before, she was always busy”, said Fluttershy, sadly.

“And wasn't it Flash who always sent us off?”, Applejack recalled, glaring.

“How could all this be going on under Princess Celestia's nose?! How hasn't she even noticed?”, asked Rainbow, frustrated.

“The only thing I can think of is Flash Sentry must have done something to ensure Twilight keeps it a secret. It's easier for her to break in front of us, than Celestia”, Rarity figured.

“Then it's settled. Tomorrow, we go to the Princess and tell her”, Applejack said.

The girls parted for the evening. Rainbow Dash and Soarin returned to CloudsDale for the evening.

“So you're going to Canterlot tomorrow?”, asked Soarin.

“We have to. Twilight needs us”, Rainbow replied, as she got into bed, being careful with her swollen belly.

Tank climbed up beside her, smiling slowly.

“I can come with you if you want”, Soarin offered, worriedly.

“The wonderbolts need your help tomorrow, we'll be fine”, assured Rainbow, as she petted Tank. She wore her Tank slippers, while Tank wore his Rainbow dash slippers.

Tank nuzzled Rainbow's stomach sweetly, and Rainbow dash petted him.

“Spitfire can handle it, if you need me to come, I will”, Soarin said worriedly. He climbed into bed with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash was currently on maternity leave, but she still was part of the Wonderbolts team. So was Soarin.

“It's really fine, Soarin. But thanks anyway”, Rainbow smiled softly, as the two Pegasus lay by each other.

Tank climbed to the bottom of the bed, and yawned. He fell asleep.

“If you're sure, Dashie...I don't want you too stressed right now”, Soarin pointed out, worried. He gently placed his hoof on her stomach.

“I know, but Twilight needs us”, Rainbow replied, her ears folding back, the twin foals both kicking a the same time.

The train arrived at Canterlot. Twilight walked out with Spike. She yawned, tired.

“Twilight, how's your wing?”, asked Spike, concerned.

“It still hurts, but it'll be fine”, Twilight assured him.

“But Twilight...”, Spike suddenly yawned, just as tired. He passed out then.

Twilight smiled softly.

“Let's get you to bed, Spike”, she lifted him up with her magic, and placed his sleeping form gently on her back.

She went to walk forward, but then froze, seeing Flash.

“You're late”, he growled, walking up to her.

“I'm sorry...my friends just really missed me”, Twilight explained, she held her head low, as she walked passed him.

Flash glared, as he followed her. The two entered the castle, and saw Princess Luna.

“How was your visit, Twilight?”, she asked kindly.

“It went really good, I missed seeing them”, Twilight forced a smile.

“It was good for her to get out”, Flash added. He put up an amazing act, as he gently wrapped his wing around Twilight's shoulders.

Luna blinked then.

“What happened to your wing, Twilight?”, she asked.

“Oh...I crash landed last night”, replied Twilight.

“I got her to the doctor, he said it should heal within a few days”, Flash added.

Luna looked at them both.

“I don't recall seeing you flying last night, Twilight Sparkle”, she pointed out, a look of suspicion in her eyes.

“Really? I was in the garden”, Twilight lied. She started to sweat.

It would have been easier to convince Celestia, since she slept at night.

But Luna, being the Princess of the Moon, was up all night, and watched over the kingdom while her sister slept.

“Well...if you say so”, Luna said.

“Don't worry, I'll be okay. Goodnight, Luna”, Twilight smiled softly, as she and Flash began walking upstairs.

“Goodnight, Twilight Sparkle”, Luna watched them go. She looked concerned.

“You didn't say anything?”, Flash asked once they were close to their bedroom.

“To my friends...?”, asked Twilight, tired.

“No, the ponies of Las Pegasus!”, Flash snorted, sarcastically.

Twilight glared.

“No, I didn't say anything. It's not like this broken wing wasn't a dead give away”, she snapped, she used her magic to gently tuck Spike in.

Flash glared. He suddenly shoved Twilight, causing her to lose her balance.

Twilight cried out, and as she hit the floor, Flash stood over her, stomping his hoof on her good wing.

Twilight flinched, grimacing in pain.

“It will be TWO broken wings, if you don't lose that attitude”, he growled, dangerously.

Twilight fell silent, a look of fear in her eyes.

“I'm sorry...”, she said quietly, looking away. Flash glared, as he got off her.

“Be sure to get up early, like the Princess expects”, he then left, slamming the door.

Twilight got up, she just realized she was shaking.

She looked down, and climbed into bed. Her good wing felt sore, but wasn't broken. Yet.

I didn't get any sleep that night. I felt so tired...but I couldn't stop worrying. Every night, I lived in fear Flash would do something to Spike, when I wasn't looking.

What would stop him? I couldn't bear it.

After Princess Celestia raised the sun, the train arrived early to Canterlot.

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack got off.

“Remember, ya'll. We have to talk to the princess”, Applejack said. They walked toward the castle.

Flash watched from the window. He glared.

“Them again”, he said, irritated.

“Who..?”, Twilight asked, tiredly, as she got out of bed. Spike had left to get breakfast already.

“Your stupid friends, from Ponyville!”, yelled Flash, angrily.

Twilight's heart sunk. They were here??

“And it looks like they're going to Princess Celestia”, Flash added, glaring.

“What...?”, she cried. She should have known...they figured it out. She would have felt relieved...except Princess Celestia had to suddenly leave this morning, on urgent business in ManeHatten.

“You told them something, didn't you?”, Flash asked then, his tone dangerous.

“I didn't! You really think I'd risk King Sombra's return?!”, Twilight yelled back. She felt scared, angry, and frustrated all at once.

“Would you?”, Flash demanded, glaring.

“No!!”, Twilight yelled, somehow...with her friends close, she felt less scared.

But the look in Flash's eyes told her that was a big mistake.

Flash glared at her.

“What did I tell you...?”, he asked. Twilight didn't answer, still glaring.

Flash suddenly slammed her against the wall. Twilight cried out loudly in pain, from her wing.

“Do you want eternal winter? Is that it?”, Flash threatened. Twilight's heart sunk, the fear returning.

“No...!”, she repeated, shaking.

“I just can't keep you quiet, can I?”, Flash suddenly slammed his hoof into her bruised shoulder.

Spike was walking down the empty hall, carrying his Rarity plush, and dragging his blanket.

“Those pancakes were delicious!”, he said, happily.

He got closer to the bedroom.

“I wonder if Twilight's awake?”, he was about to turn the knob, when an ear splitting scream was heard.

The scream was horrifying...like somepony was being tortured.

Spike jumped back, startled at first. His heart sunk then.

“T-Twilight....?”, he recognized her voice.

And then...another voice.

“SHUT UP!”, Flash's angry voice was heard. Spike's eyes grew wide, as his heart sunk. He then heard what sounded like...somepony was hitting another. Violently.

And then Twilight crying out in pain and fear again.

“What's...going on?”, he continued to listen, his eyes wide in fear.

“One more...just ONE MORE stunt like this...and you can kiss the Crystal Empire goodbye!”, Spike heard Flash warn.

“What?! The crystal empire?”, Spike blinked.

“I'm sorry...just please stop...before Spike comes back...”, Spike heard Twilight plead. Her voice sounded very shaky.

“Is that all you care about? That stupid dragon of yours?!”, Flash sneered.

Spike then heard somepony approaching the door. He quick hid, and saw Flash exiting the bedroom.

“Now I got to get rid of those stupid friends of hers...again”, he complained, as he left the hall.

Spike looked back to the bedroom, hearing Twilight crying softly.

“Twilight...”, he carefully approached the room.

He quietly entered, and he froze.

“Twilight...!”, his eyes filled with horror, seeing it.

“Spike..!”, Twilight was laying on the floor, she had been curled up, crying.

Her shoulders, legs, neck, and side were all bruised up. Her already broken wing suddenly looked worse, the bandage off.

Her other wing appeared bruised, and there was also a bruise under her left eye. Her entire body was shaking violently.

“Spike...you heard....”, Twilight realized.