Author's Note

Quick authors note if you choose to read.

If you notice any weirdly placed capitalizations, it's a part of an 'easter egg' I was doing on the site I originally posted this on, so they are supposed to be there. Enjoy!

Part Twenty: No Regrets

Vinyl and Octavia both fell on the bed, genuinely laughing and smiling more than they had in a long time. They laid there, facing each other and giggling, for minutes and minutes. They were enjoying a laughter not forced, but honest, one they hadn't experienced in quite some time. There had been too much stress, too much awkwardness since they met. The first few days, rehab, Open Mind, SkyLine Breezer's passing, and now the wedding. But they felt as if now, they finally had some room to breathe, as if they finally could close the chapter. Octavia propped herself up, and looked at Vinyl.

"So, wife..."

Octavia playfully poked Vinyl on the snout and giggled.

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't know, wife..."

Vinyl added the same comedic inflection on 'wife' as Octavia had, and propped herself up the same way.

"We still have some daylight left, we could do whatever we want."

"How about we go out for a nice dinner, maybe show ourselves off a little?"

"Well, little did you know, showing off is something I've been doing for a long time. Oh, I almost forgot, be right back."

Vinyl turned and lifted herself off the bed as Octavia pushed herself into a sitting position. When she reached the door, she motioned for Octavia to close her eyes, which she did. After a couple seconds, Vinyl returned to the room.

"No peeking. You ready?"

"As much as I can be I suppose."

"Aright, open!"

Octavia opened her eyes and looked at what was sitting on the bed in front of her.

"It's, my cello case?"

"That's not it, look inside."

Vinyl was smiling widely as Octavia clicked open the case and slowly pushed it open. Octavia's eyes widened, and she covered her now open mouth with a hoof.

"It's, it's magnificent."

It was a cello, almost the same body shape as hers was, but this one was jet black,and had intricate carvings along the side of the neck. The body had a shimmering glossy finishing, and was embelished by a perfect resemblance of her cutie mark across it's length.

"I, how did, where is, what?"

Vinyl laughed at Octavia's shock, and sat down on the bed beside her.

"Let's just say that waitress tips go a long way. And I had it stashed at Hail Toss' apartment because I knew we'd probably be at WaveMakers house at some point."

"You are the best."

Octavia wrapped her hooves around Vinyls neck and hugged her tightly. Vinyl returned the hug and gently rubbed her wife's back.

"I thought you'd like it."

"Like it? I love it! It's the most amazing thing I've ever been given!"

Octavia continued gazing at the instrument for almost another full minute without saying a word. Noticing her silence and the blank expression on her face, Vinyl chuckled and nudged her.

"Hey, you alright? Getting pretty blank-faced there."

Octavia perked up for a second and turned to Vinyl before standing up and off the bed.

"I have something for you I forgot all this time. Wait here."

Vinyl waited paitiently as Octavia scrambled out of the room and down the stairs. After a minute or two, Octavia returned with a small felt box. After closing her cello case up and setting it gently to the side, she placed the box in front of Vinyl and layed down.

"I've had these for quite some time. I guess I was waiting for the perfect moment, and now just seems like a good time."

"Alright. You seem pretty excited, I'm not sure what could possibly be-"

Vinyl's mouth dropped open just as Octavia's had, and she started stuttering the same way.

"It, these, my, these are, these are my shades."

Vinyl lifted the shaded out of their case and examined them.

"When we first met, you jad these on. Even though the one lens was damaged, you still had them. I figured they must be of some importance to you, so I kept them. When we were packing up to move here, I remembered them and got them fixed so I could give them to you, but you were still in rehab. I guess there's no better time than now though, right?"

Vinyl remained speechless as she looked the glasses over. Then, for just a second before Vinyl wrapped her hooves around her, Octavia saw a tear in her wife's eye.

"I love you Octavia."

"I love you too Vinyl."

"C'mon, here we are."

"Thanks a bunch, Hail, but where did I park again."

"Alright, I think I'll just set yoi down on the couch and let you kinda, you know, pass out, or whatever you do when you're smashed."

Hail Toss helped WaveMaker down on his couch, and walked to go get him something to absorb the alcohol in his system.

"Wasn't exactly the best of plans to drink as much as you did, having not eaten anything today."

"I don't wanna hear it."

"Well, I'm saying it anyways. You really jave to watch that, you don't want to develop a dependency."

Hail Toss sat down on the arm of the couch and passed a sleeve of soda crackers to WaveMaker.

"Thanks."

Hail Toss sat down on the adjacent chair with a sigh as WaveMaker opened up the sleeve and took a bite out of a cracker. Hail Toss sighed as she stared out the window at the house next door.

"They finally did it didn't they?"

"What?"

"They're finallg married. Would'a thought."

"What do you mean? They love each other, why is it such a surprise?"

"No, the whole thing. From start to finish, just as Vinyl told me. It almost seems, kinda like a fairy tale, you know? I just wish I could find something like that, something just as magical as what they have."

"How haven't you?"

Both heads in the room jolted upwards, as the meant to be silent phrase hit both pairs of ears. Hail Toss turned around as WaveMaker tried to hide his slight blush.

"What did you say?'

"Nothing. I-I said nothing."

"No, I heard you say something. What was it?"

Realizing too late that there wasn't a way out of this, WaveMaker sighed and looked up at Hail Toss.

"I was just wondering how you haven't found that."

"H-how do you mean?"

WaveMaker sighed again as Hail Toss sat down beside him.

"It's just...I've been doing a lot of thinking in the last few months, a lot of reflecting. I know that by now I should've moved on, but I really haven't. But, whenever you're around, it all just kinda seems to fade away. You're just, you're so kind and caring, I've never really had anypony like that in my life before, other than, well, you know."

There was a long moment of silence before Hail Toss slolwy, but not subtly enough for WaveMaker to not notice, pushed herself closer to the other pony on the couch. Another long moment passed before Hail Toss cleared her throat.

"So, I guess I have a question to ask you."

"What's that?"

Hail Toss quickly turned to WaveMaker, who, sensing the hasty motion, turned to face her.

"Would, would you maybe, go out with me?"

It had just turned to ten in the evening when the lights at Lyra and Bon-Bons house were all off, save for their bedroom.

"Well, Tavi finally got married. I'm so happy for her."

Bon-Bon giggled a little foalishly as she laid down on the bed beside her mare-friend.

"Yeah, I am too. But you know, I think I hage something that you'll be even happier for."

"What?"

"Ah, I'll save it for tomorrow."

"Lyra, you can't just say something like that and then not do it, that's so mean."

"I should also wait until you aren't drunk, Bonnie."

"Smart decisions, smart decisions."

Lyra chuckled as Bon-Bon laid her head down in a drunken, "everything is funny" type of state. She laid down also and pulled the covers over the two of them.

"So, you aren't gonna try to guess what it is or anything? No questions at all?"

Lyra looked to her left to see Bon-Bon completely passed out on the bed beside her. She chuckled slightly and quickly slipped out of bed, making sure she didn't wake the sleeping mare as she levitated something out of the nightstand. Slowly pushing the door open as closed as she snuck out of the room, Lyra gazed at the necklaces in the small box she held in her magic.

"You just wait until tomorrow Bonnie, then I'll really make you happy."

"Is it much further?"

"Almost there, just hush up."

After spending the night, Hail Toss told WaveMaker that he needs to truly move on. She gave him a blindfold and said nothing else, then started leading him near the outside of the town.

"Alright, you can take it off now."

"Finally. Now what is this plan of-"

WaveMaker cut himself short as he looked at where they were. The mild fog in the area was thin enough for WaveMaker to see the sign near perfectly.

"Wh-why are we at the cemetery?"

"I told you, you need to move on. Come with me."

Hail Toss ushered a nervous WaveMaker through the graveyard, looking for something she didn't evrn know herself. But, as she had hoped, instinct took over for her friend, eho started walking hap-hazardly down to a certain tomb. A short thickening of the fog seperated the two for a moment, and when it passed, WaveMaker was nowhere in sight.

"Shit, WaveMaker?"

Hail Toss started walking through the slowly fading fog, and as she reached the top of a hill, she stopped calling out. Down where the hill plateaued, she could see the red, white, and blue mane clearly, sitting in front of the grave. Skyline Breezer's grave. As she got closer, trying not to disturb him, Hail Toss could hear WaveMaker saying something.

"I know that you would've wanted to see it. I'm...I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that, I wasn't there when you needed me, that I didn't insist on getting you checked out when you were getting sick, I'm, I'm sorry that, I froze up, and you took a bullet for Octavia. Most of all, I'm just...I'm just so sorry that you aren't here right now."

WaveMaker was now starting to sob in his place, resting one hoof on the stone, and wiping his eyes with the other. Hail Toss sat down just beside him after a few moments had passed and put a hoof on his back. WaveMaker turned and pulled her close to him, hugging her as he cried openly into her mane. Hail Toss felt as if she needed to do nothing more than simply comfort him in this moment.

"Can I get you started with some drinks?"

"Yes, a bottle of champagne for the table. We are celebrating, aren't we dear?"

"We sure are."

"A bottle of our finest champagne it is."

The waiter smiled at the two and walked off to retrieve the celebratory bottle of alcohol. Octavia noticed how hard Vinyl seemed to be minding her manners and chuckled.

"Ever eaten at a fancy restaraunt Vinyl?"

"Nah, I never liked these places. I like either smething quick and easy, or just doing something at home, somewhere where everypony isn't looking at you. I'm guessing you have?"

"My agent would almost always take me out for a dinner here after a show. It was nice, but usually I wouldn't even get to eat over all the paparazzi and fans. Not trying to brag or anything, but I think this may one of the only times I've eaten here that hasn't been photographed."

"Well, can't say I don't fully know that pain. Bck when thr EDM industry was still popular, I couldn't be seen with anypony people didn't know or tomorrows newspaper article would be something about some fabled relationship between me and them."

"Tell me about it. The news industry is so saturated nowadays, everypony just wants their big article."

"I know, anything for a story it seems. It's almost sickening how fast ponies sell out in order to get their five minutes of fame."

"I don't even want to go back to the music industry, it's almost not even worth it. But, when you have a passion, sometimes you'll do whatever it takes, right?"

"I agree with every word."

The two chuckled at the conversation, even though it was very well true. The waiter brought the bucket of ice with the bottle in it and set it on the table along with two glasses.

"And are we ready to order here?"

"Um, just a few more minutes actually."

The waiter nodded at Vinyl, who was now levitating the bottle out of the ice. After he walked away, Vinyl smiled at Octavia and popped the cork.

"And there we are."

She filled the two glasses and set the bottle back in the ice with her magic, while pushing one glass over to Octavia with her hoof.

"I would like to propose a toast. Our lives have been... well, interesting, so to say, since we met. But, everything is finally coming into fluition. We have each other, and that's all we need right now."

"Agreed."

Once more the waiter came back, and once more the couple shooed him away, not placing an order. Their conversations and drinking continued for quite a while, making it an evening of both serious conversations and comedic relief. Eventually the waiter stopped showing up at the table.

"So, returning to the topic we were on a while ago. If we're both agreeing to not return to the music industry, and we have, haven't we?"

"Oh yeah, I don't want to be a part of that again."

"Good, then if we're both straying from that, we'll need to probably discuss other occupations."

"I guess I knew this would be a topic again at some point. Alright, whatcha got?"

"Well, when we talked about this the first time, you mentioned soemthing about being a police officer?"

"Yeah, I think that would be alright."

"You know that there's a lot of physical testing to be a cop, right?"

Vinyl looked at Octavia through the now empty champagne glass and smiled.

"Hey, I keep myself in shape."

"When? I haven't seen you exercise since I met you, and I know you don't go to the gym."

"You know how much of a workout stage energy is? And physical therapy at rehab included steady exercise."

"Well, proved me wrong I guess."

"I guess so. What about you? If you're not going back to music, what's your plan?"

"Well, you know, the plan I had in mind, would sort of involve me needing to, um, stay home."

"How do you mean?"

"Well Vinyl, I've been doing some thinking. Last time I wanted to talk about this, I kind of shut it down before you could speak. However, after mulling it over, I think that we should have a foal."

Vinyl choked on the champagne in her mouth and coughed a few times before looking around and leaning in closer.

"You what?"

"You heard me, clearly."

"You, you realize that that, you know, isn't possble for us."

"Not the, traditional way, I suppose. But you know that there are many other ways we could."

"And, you actually think we're ready for something that big?"

"Vinyl, we're married, we're living together, where else is there to go from here if we want to go further?"

"I, I guess you're right, but, would we adopt or?"

Vinyl trailed off her sentence, leading on that she knew other ways around the obvious barrier, but she didn't. Octavia finished her glass and sighed, putting down the bits for the drinks.

"Well, there's this friend of mine, I'll tell you at home. Let's go."

"Good morning sweetie."

"Ugh, not so loud please Lyra."

"Still hungover?"

"Yes."

Bon-Bon groaned quietly as she set her head down on the kitchen table and put her hooves around it. Lyra chuckled as she put a plate of pancakes down in front of her soon to be more than mare-friend. As she sat down, she smiled and levitated the box to her side.

"I uh, I had something important to ask you last night, but I figured I should wait until you were able to make a good decision. You know, unimpaired."

Lyra pushed her chair away as she spoke and opened up the box as she dropped to one knee.

"What's that Lyra? Is it something ab-"

Bon'Bon stopped and brought both front hooves to her mouth as she gasped.

"Bon-Bon, will you marry me?"

Bon-Bon was too speechless, and was barely able to make the few unintelligible whispers she was making. After a while, Lyra felt that Bon-Bon was able to speak and asked again.

"Well?"

"Lyra, I, I wanted to t-t-talk to you for a while. I-I feel that now is a good time."

A bad feeling came over Lyra as Bon-Bon stood up and hung her head.

"I, I just don't feel like this is working out. It's just, we're too different, it doesn't feel like it should."

Lyra's mouth dropped open, and the necklaces fell from her magical grasp. She felt like somepony had stabbed her in the heart, which, figuratively had just happened.

"Y-.....y-y-you what?"

"It's not that I don't love you for who you are, it's just that I think we don't suit each other. I thought maybe you'd be happier with somepony more like you."

"B-Bonnie, how could you even think that? I love you more than anything! I don't care if we're different in every way, we love each other, right?"

Tears were in the eyes and running down the cheeks of both mares at this point, and neither could do anything but stare at the other.

"Lyra..I love you, I just think we need to see what else is out there."

"Is, is there somepony else? Is that why you're doing this?"

"No, no, there's nopony else. I just think that maybe there is somepony who each of us that we'd find more...compatable."

Lyra took a few long moments to sort through her thoughts, before finally coming to terms.

"So, you want me out then?"

"I'm sorry Lyra."

Bon-Bon could barely get the sentence out through her tears, but Lyra heard what she needed to before Bon-Bon ran off and locked herself in the bathroom. As she listened to Lyra's faint sobs added to the the sounds of her packing and inevitably walking through the door, Bon-Bon looked at herself in the mirror.

"What did just I do?"

When Vinyl awoke in the morning, she could already hear Octavia in the kitchen, occasionally sighing loudly or knocking something over. When she walked out into the kitchen, Octavia smiled at her.

"Oh good, you're up. Now we can talk."

"Can I get some coffee first? I'd rather be awake before we start."

"Of course, it is a rather serious matter."

Vinyl walked over to the kettle, which was already warm from Octavia making her tea. After making what she deemed enough coffee to at least keep her awake, Vinyl sat down on the couch and waited for Octavia to follow.

"So, what is this big thing you seem to be schemeing about?"

"I am not schemeing. It's just, an idea we've have together since I told her I was, you know."

"Wait wait wait, who is this her, and why wasn't I in on it?"

"Well, I wasn't sure how things would go between our marriage and when I told her, so I wanted to wait until I could be sure."

"Sure of what?"

"Sure that you were ready."

Octavia put her mug down and grabbed Vinyl's hooves with her own, staring deep into her eyes.

"Vinyl, she's nine months pregnant. With our child."

Vinyl's eyes widened, and she sat blankly for a few seconds before shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Well-"

"Wait a minute, nine mon-. Ho-how long, have you two been planning this?"

"Well, they were already planning to have another child, and I wasn't sure what would happen bewteen the two of us. But, since she found out, her and her husband have been thinking about maybe, letting us adopt it."

"Tavi, are, are you sure we're, you know, ready for this?"

"Well, I mean, we'll need to be more financially stable, but we have time, right?"

"Well, how far past nine months is she?"

"She's, a couple months."

"Hm. Ok, alright, last question."

"Go ahead."

"Yeah, who is this mare?"

"At the wedding, the mare with the yellow mane on my side? Did you happen to see her?"

"Yellow mane...yeah, yeah I did see her. She's got the eyes that kinda work on their own, right?"

"That's, one way to put it, yes."

Vinyl took a long pause and looked away, before Octavia had to say something.

"Look, I know I've kind of sprung this on you, and believe me I am just as nervous as you are. But, considering our circumstance, and considering how-"

"Alright. I'm up for it."

"You, you what?"

"I want to do this. It's a big step, but, I'm think we're ready for it."

"You really believe that we are?"

"I know we are."

Octavia smiled widely and practically leapt into a hug with Vinyl. All Vinyl could do was smile and hug Octavia back.

Lyra's hooves slowly dropped down and made contact with the floor of the ManeHatten train station, emitting a softly timbred click as she stepped down from the train and onto the polished hardwood. She sighed a heart-heavy sigh as she looked up through tearful eyes, and toward the one place she knew she could go. Levitating two suitcases behind her, she dragged her way down the crowded streets, avoiding all eye contact, and eventually stepped up onto the front step of Vinyl and Octavia's house. Heaving another sigh, Lyra set the bags down beside her and raised her hoof to knock on the door. A few moments after knocking, the door opened, and a slightly concered Vinyl tilted her head when she read the expression of Lyra's face.

"Lyra? What, what brings you here?"

"I, uh, I, I have to talk to Octavia and you."

"Um, s-sure. Come in."

As Lyra stepped in, Octavia walked from the kitchen into the living room, spotting Lyra and her luggage. Just before Vinyl was going to, Octavia asked the question they were both wondering.

"Lyra? Why do you have luggage?"

"Can...can I stay here for a while?"

"So, that's really all that happened? That's the end?"

"I don't know. Believe me, I really wish it wasn't, but I'm afraid that it just may be."

"How could she say that? You two have been together for years, just recently she said that she wanted to marry you!"

"I know, I know. I guess a lot can change in a few months. I just can't believe that it's really over."

Octavia pulled Lyra closer and tried her best to comfort her. Vinyl was standing in the kitchen, watching the scene unfold. She took a long sip of her coffee and thought for a second before an idea hit her. She quickly started toward the door, not even saying anything.

"Vinyl? Where are you going?"

"Just a sec, I'll be right back."

Vinyl ran outside and let the door close behind her. Octavia looked out the window, but couldn't see Vinyl.

"Octavia?"

"Yes Lyra?"

"Do you think maybe she's right?"

"What?"

"Bon-Bon. Maybe what she said was right, maybe we just aren't meant to be."

"But, you and her were so happy together."

"Yeah, well, I guess sometimes things really aren't what they seem."

Octavia watched Lyra as she propped herself up with her hoof, playing with the bit of mint-colored mane that was laying on the couch. She took another quick glance out the window and wondered.

Where the hell did Vinyl go bugger off to?

Vinyl was at the backdoor of the neighboring house, and checked around her before knocking. After quite a few seconds, she heard hoofsteps, and WaveMaker answered the door.

"Vinyl? Why the backdoor?"

"Nevermind that, we gotta go do something."

"Um, o-ok. What exactly?"

"We gotta go to Ponyville."

As the train slowly pulled into the station at ManeHatten, Vinyl and WaveMaker rushed on board. As they sat down, Vinyl pooked around at the other riders.

"So, any particular reason this is happening?"

"I'll give yoi the short version. Tavi's friends just broke up and I wanna go see what's going on."

"Ok, second question, why?"

"Because, something doesn't seem right about it. I've only known them for so long, but damned if they weren't a good couple. Basically the definition of opposites attract."

"Is that how you and Octavia are?"

Vinyl smiled and looked down for a second before looking back up.

"I think I'd say that."

WaveMaker chuckled slightly and looked around the train before it started moving.

"So, are we looking for anypony specifically?"

"Why would we be? I know where she is."

"Yes, but what if she's on the train or something?"

"Oh, pfft, what are the odds of that? Anyways, I was basically woken up for this, so I'm gonna catch some Zs."

As Vinyl stretched out on her seat and folded one hoof over her eyes, WaveMaker slouched back and looked around. Being somewhat tired himself, he slowly drifted off and fell asleep.

The train arrived at the PonyVille train station, and Bon-Bon was the first t get on board and take her seat. Her breaths were short, and always off time with each other. As she waited for the train to start moving, she brushed her mane back with her hooves and stared at the table. Before too long, ponies were rushing by her in both directions, and she could've sworn she saw a familiar mane or two rushing by in the crowd. Having more important things to think about, she looked oit the window and sighed.

"I hope you'll be where you always go."

Both a smile and a few tears came about Bon-Bon's face as she looked at the small picture she was holding of her and Lyra in front of a tall buolding that looked to resemble a church.

"Our little getaway in ManeHatten."

ManeHatten Sancuary
All are welcome here

Lyra looked at the old, decrepid building that still held memories. Tears were slowly falling down her face as she slid her hoof down the faded plaque. After all these years it was still here, but like the rest of the building, it had lost it's allure. Her and Bon-Bon had come here one time when it was fully functioning. Bon-Bon had wanted to check it out because a friend of hers frequented it. Lyra fell to the side as her sobs became louder and more apparent. After a few seconds, she was too lost in her anguish and racing thoughts to hear the hoofsteps behind her. When Bon-Bon set her hoof on Lyra's shoulder, Lyra jumped up and spun around to face the other mare.

"You? What are you doing here?"

"Lyra, please, I was wrong, I never should've said no, I don't know what I was thinking! Please."

"You know, while I was sitting here, looking back at, well, us, I thought of something funny. When I froze up when you started talking about marriage, I felt like crap. I did. But I got over it because you did. Then when I proposed and you said no, I thought to myself, how am I always in the wrong? I lost both ways! What more could you have wanted from me?"

"Lyra, I just wanted to talk it out. The first time, I just wanted to know where you wanted this to go! Please, I just want to talk now."

"No. No, stay away from me!"

Thunder cracked and lightning flashed through the sky as Lyra turned and ran through the for some reason partially opened door and into the sanctuary. Bon-Bon hesitated for a moment, but soon ran in after her.

"Lyra!"

The sacntuary was very much showing it's age and lack of care. The walls had lost their lustre and were tagged with various graffiti. The glass ceiling was falling apart, and had multiple holes in it. The only part that was still in tact within reason, was the tall oak tree that stood in the center. It was able to just get by on the scant sunlight and small amount of rain that fell through the shattered glass above. Bon-Bon stopped and stood still near the badr of the tree, looking around for where Lyra could have run off to.

"Lyra?"

Hearing nothing but a soft echo, Bon-Bon hung her head and sat down at the base of tree, resting the top her head against the trunk. After what felt like an eternity to Bon-Bon, she heard hoofsteps on the hard tiles, then on the wood chips at the base of the tree, then they stopped. She looked to her right and saw Lyra sitting at the base of the tree beside her. Both of them looked away from each other at the same time, but eventually Lyra pushed herself slightly closer and started talking.

"Hey. I, um, I'm ready to talk now."

"Ok. Well, what is there to say?"

"Look, I messed up ok?"

"We both have. It wasn't just you."

"I know, I know. But, I'll own up to my half, and I'm willing to start over, if you'd do the same?"

Bon-Bon wiped her eyes and Lyra set her hoof on her shoulder. After a few seconds, Bon-Bon looked up and lunged at Lyra, immediately wrapping her in a hug.

"Let's not start completely over, ok?"

"I think we can do that."

The storm picked up as the embrace went on, now showering the couple in rain as it poured through the broken glass panes. They looked up simultainiously and quickly ran over to a nearby archway, sheltered from rain. After a few seconds, the two looked at each other from their opposite pillars and started laughing.

"So, back to PonyVille when the rain's gone?"

"Well, I should probably get my stuff from Vinyl and Tav's first."

After knocking for the third time in a row, Vinyl sighed and turned back to WaveMaker.

"I don't know, I guess she isn't home."

"Alright, well, let's look at this reasonably. Where else could she be?"

"Maybe at her friend's house. The Whooves."

"Alright, let's go."

Vinyl led the way in the direction of the Whooves household, WaveMaker following at here side.

"So, what's the plan if you do find her?"

"I just wanna talk to her, see what exactly happened and maybe if we can fix it again."

"Again? This has happened before?"

"A few times, their relationship has had some bumps."

"I see. So what are we planning to do at the friends house?"

"I don't know, see if she's there, maybe see if we can call her or something?"

"You really didn't have a plan for this, did you?"

"I, uh, I guess not."

After a few more minutes of walking, the duo found themselves at the Whooves household. Vinyl waaked up to the door and knovked three times, then waited for what seemed like too long for anypony to answer.

"They not home?"

"I don't know. Seems like everypony in town-"

Vinyl turned around when the door opened, and she spotted a panting Doctor Whooves.

"Doctor?"

"Vinyl, what brings you by?"

"Oh, um, n-not much. What's goings on?"

"Well, let me just say that you two arrived at a hell of a time."

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"You're about to be a mother."

"Wh-what?"

"Derpy's just gone into labour, I rushed up here when I got a moment, but we have to get her to the hospital now!"

"Right, ok, uhh, WaveMaker, go find us a carriage or something!"

"On it!"

As WaveMaker kicked off and flew away looking for a ride, Vinyl quickly followed Doctor Whooves into the house.

"Hey, I need to call Tavi, you guys have a phone?"

"Upstairs in the bedroom to the left, tell her to get here fast."

"That was my plan."

Vinyl quickly ran up the stairs and into the bedroom she was pointed to. She levitated the phone up close to her face and dialed her house's number.

"C'mon, pick up, pick up."

Octavia was pacing nervously as the thunderstorm pounded the city. Lyra and Bon-Bon were still out there, and she wasn't even sure if Bon-Bon had found Lyra yet. But, if she had, maybe they were safe in the sanctuary? She groaned and put a hoof to her forehead. She was so lost in though that the high pitched ring of the phone made her jump slightly.

"Hello?"

"Tavi, hey, listen. I really, really, reeaaally need you to come to PonyVille asap."

"Vinyl? What the hell are you doing at the Whooves house?"

"I was looking for Bon-Bon, I wanted to fix this, those two are Still Worth Fighting For."

"Don't worry, Bon-Bon came here, I assume her and Lyra are hiding out of the storm somewhere, but I don't know if they'll come back anytime soon."

"Well, this is a little more important."

"Why?"

"We're about to have a family."

There was a long pause as Octavia put the peices together. Her mouth dropped open, and she struggled to keep the phone in her grasp.

"Uh, Tavi?"

"Y-yes, I-I'm here."

"Well, you're gonna wanna be here in a second, let's go!"

"O-ok, I'll be right there."

"Ok, good, see you then."

Octavia quickly hung the phone and wrote a note for Lyra and Bon-Bon's predicted return on the notepad beside it. Within seconds of slamming the pen down on the counter, she was at the door, not even caring to throw on a raincoat. Once outside, she quickly put the note in the mailbox so that it was poking out just enough to be noticed. She turned and started down the steps, but accidentally bumped into who she saw in the darkness to be either Lyra or Bon-Bon. When she stood up, now soaked by the rain that had already collected on the ground, and the rain that was falling. The other mare stood up and peered through her raincoat.

"Tavi?"

"Hail Toss? What are you doing out in the rain?"

"I was going to see if WaveMaker was next door before the rain came, and I wasn't sure if you and Vinyl were home or not. I eventually came over to see if you were or not, and here we are. Where are you running off to?"

"Vinyl and I are about to be mothers."

"Say what now?"

"I'll explain on the train ride to PonyVille, my treat."

"Wow, that, sure is generous of her."

"I know, I don't think a way to repay her will ever be able to exist."

"Well, how do you feel?"

"About what?"

"About having a foal. You and Vinyl are taking a really big step here, and I just want to know how you're feeling about it."

Octavia set her drink down after taking a long sip, then eased back in her seat as she let out a sigh.

"I'm... very, very nervous, I kind of feel like I'm Going In Blind. I have no experience, or knowledge on parenting or even foalsitting, so I feel a little unprepared for this. But at the same time, I feel like it's, almost destined to be. I can't explain it, I just feel like this whole series of events, right from the beginning, was just set in the stars. It's beyond me, it really is, what Vinyl and I have been given. We're just so lucky to have the life, and the friends, and now the family, that we've been given."

"That's really beautiful Octavia, I think you're going to be a great mother."

"Thank you. What about you?"

"What?"

"How do you feel about foals? Would you ever want one?"

"Well, I used to foalsit all the time, but it wasn't exactly my strong suit. I guess maybe having one would be fine, if I met the right stallion."

Something strange about the sentence struck Octavia, and she just had to bring up what Hail Toss had said.

"Hey, Hail Toss."

"Yeah?"

"When you said that you were waiting at WaveMaker's house, why were you there?"

"Oh, um, I've been going to his place quite regularly recently. I've been, well, helping him cope so to say. My father was a therapist, I learned a good bit of relaxation and coping mechanisms through him, I'm hoping to kind of bring him back, help him not Drown in his sorrows."

"Huh. Well, I hope that goes well."

"Me too, it's really hard to tell where his mind's Gone Away to since Skyline's passing."

An awkward silence filled the rest of train ride, until the train eventually finished Crawling to it's stop. Octavia ran to be the first one off the train, Hail Toss close behind.

"So, gotta admit, haven't really been here, where's the hospital?"

"It's this way, we gotta hurry!"

Octavia and Hail Toss sprinted all the way from the train station to PonyVille General, panting harshly when they stopped at the reception desk.

"May I, help you two?"

"Mare... last name... Whooves...having a foal."

"Ah, the expecting couple and their friends. Room 2C, down there and to the left."

"Thanks."

Octavia smiled at the receptionist stallion and quickly turned and ran down the hall, Hail Toss again close behind. Octavia's moith dropped open when she opened the door and took in the full scene. Derpy was lying on the bed, eyes closed and slowly breathing in and out, while Doctor Whooves held her hoof. Vinyl was sitting on a chair to the right, WaveMaker on the one next to that. After seeing no doctor or nurse, Octavia put the pieces together. She had just missed it. Vinyl was the first to look and see Octavia standing in the doorway, panting as if Asthmatic.

"Hey, come over and meet your first colt."

Everypony in the room turned and looked at Octavia. Even Derpy, who was only able to turn and give a weak smile, motioned over to Vinyl. Hail Toss noticed Octavia's frozen stance, and chuckled slightly.

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

She gave Octavia a sligjt push, and Octavia started shakily walking toward Vinyl and WaveMaker. Vinyl slowly stood up and walked over to Octavia.

"Here he is."

Gingerly, Vinyl passed the blanketed foal into Octvia's hooves as she took the spot in the chair. Octavia stared intently at the foal, taking in every visible feature. He had a black mane, but seemed to take a darker shade of Derpy's grey coat. It had fallen asleep, but had a small smile spread across it's face. Octavia stared in adornment for quite some time, before she suddenly looked up.

"Wait, what did you mean by 'first' colt?"

Smiles appeared on almost every face in the room as Doctor Whooves slowly raised another blanketed foal into Octavia's view. Vinyl took the first one from Octavia as Doctor Whooves slowly walked over and gave the second one to her.

"He was sitting here beside me the whole time. Turns out we had twins."

Octavia looked down and stared at the foal Again. This one had mane just slightly darker than Doctor Whooves', and had almost the same color coat, just a few shades darker.

"Well?"

"Huh?"

"You thought of any names, sweetie?"

Octavia looked blankly at the foal in her hooves. Her mind was completely blank, and she struggled to even think of any names.

"I, I didn't think about that. Did you?"

"To be honest, I didn't really either."

"Can I make a suggestion?"

Octavia and Vinyl both looked at Hail Toss, who had moved closer to get a look at the foal.

"You wanna name it?"

"Well, if you two can't think of one, I have one that I was saving. But, If It Means A Lot To You, you can have it."

"Well, what is it?"

"Flyleaf."

"Flyleaf."

Octavia looked back at the foal, and smiled as she repated the name to herself.

"I like it."

"I do too, but what about the other one?"

Both mares looked at Doctor Whooves, who was holding the second colt in his hooves.

"What about, Roulette?"

"Roulette?"

"Yeah, you know, 'cause sometimes you just gotta leave it up to chance. Kinda like we've done a lot."

Octavia paused for a second before chuckling slightly and looking back to Vinyl.

"I like it. Flyleaf and Roulette it is."

The rain had slowed but not stopped, and Lyra and Bon-Bon had taken the opportunity to run all the way to Vinyl and Octavia's house. Lyra was the first to arrive at the door and knock multiple times, shouting for Octavia over the storm. Bon-Bon however was the first one to find the note and start reading it aloud.

"Dear Lyra and/or Bon-Bon, I am sorry that I am not home to let you in, but I had to be somewhere else. I'm about to be a mother."

As Bon-Bon finished the last sentence, Lyra perked up and spun around in a second.

"The what now?"

"They had their foal! Lyra, this is great news! They're finally starting their lives together!"

"Didn't they do that when they got married?"

"Well, yes, but this is even better!"

Bon-Bon, in a wild excitement, leaped out amd wrapped Lyra in a hug. Lyra was surprised but eventually hugged her in return. When the two seperated, Bon-Bon started running out into the rain.

"Where are you going?"

"Come on, we've gotta go see them!"

"Oh boy, This Probably Won't End Well. Wait up!"

"So for the first night, since they were both so late in the evening, they must stay in the room here. Do you have any friends or family that you can stay with in town?"

"You can't let us stay here?"

"Well, some ponies have waited overnight in the waiting room, but it isn't, well, optimal. And the earliest in the morning you can leave with them is about ten thirty by tee current time."

"We can wait, we're willing."

"If you say so, I'll alert the nurses."

"Thank you."

Vinyl walked away from the doctor and quickly back into the room. Octavia was trying to dry her mane off while a nurse was talking to Derpy and Doctor Whooves. WaveMaker had stepped out for a second.

"So just take a few of these, it'll make movent sligjtly difficult due to numbing but it will also make it as Painless as possible."

"Thanks Redheart."

"No problem, it's my job. Congratulations you two."

She smiled at Vinyl and Octavia as she turned and left the room, all ponies exchanging waves.

"Well, what did he say?"

"They have to stay overnight, but we can too. We'll be stuck in the waiting room all night, but that's what it's used for, right?"

"I guess so, that's jist dissapointing is all."

"Trust me, I'm just as bummed as you are. But it is protocol, isn't it?"

"I suppose so."

Vinyl pulled Octavia closer with a hoof and kissed her on the forehead, making Octavia both smile and blush.

"There's that smile. I'm gonna go grab something from the snack machine, you want anything?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Suit yourself."

Vinyl chuckled slightly to herself as she left to room and started fowm the hall. She stopped for a moment when she looked down a halleay and saw WaveMaker staring at a wall.

"What the?"

As she slowly walked up, she noticed the glass window that was in between the hallway and a room where newborn foals were sleeping.

"Uh, WaveMaker?"

"Huh? Oh, Vinyl, hi."

"What's going on?"

"I uh, well, I don't know. I was walking by here, and I just got sorta drawn to it. Gosh I just, I just feel so Worthless since she died, you know? Hail Toss has been around, kinda trying to make me not feel like such a Loser, but I just don't know."

"Well, I can't say I know exactly where you're coming from, but I guese I see what you mean."

"You ever lost anypony?"

"Well, nopony really close. You lose grandparents and stuff once you get to a certain age, but nopony closer than that."

WaveMaker nodded and turned back to watch the foals. When one close to the window yawned, WaveMaker noticably smiled, prompting Vinyl to ask her question.

"Did you ever want foals?"

"Well, that was Skyline more than me who wanted them. You know that she wanted three foals? I just want one filly she said, and I don't care whatbthe others are. She was so prepared, had her whole life planned out to the very end. Aside from, well, you know. Wanted foals soon after she was married, and-"

"Wait, then why didn't you?"

"That was my fault. She wanted them, really pressed me for them. I told her that I Respect her decision, but we should wait until we were a little more stable. I wasn't good enough for her. She was willing to put everything on hold for a couple years just for me. And of course, just our luck, the time came, and it was too late."

As WaveMaker hung his head down, Vinyl put a hoof on his shoulder and tried to think of some comforting words.

"Well, I'm sure there's somepony else out there for you."

"Yeah, hopefully. Well, I assume you were going somewhere, I'll let you be on your way."

"No, it's fine, not like there's a Doomsday clock on the snack machine."

Vinyl's attempt at humor seemed to work when WaveMaker smiled and turned away from the glass.

"Either way, I should be going. Good luck until the morning, to Octavia too. I'll see you all later."

"Thanks."

As WaveMaker left, Vinyl took his spot at the glass and looked at Flyleaf and Roulette.

"Look at you two. You don't even know it yet, but Life Starts Now. For all of us."

Once the goodbyes had been said, and Octavia had many times expressed her gratitude towards the Whooves', everypony had departed but Vinyl and Octavia. A short time after the departures, roughly two in the morning, Vinyl and Octavia were sitting together, alone in the waiting room. Vinyl levitated a bottle of water to Octavia, and she quickly accepted it and drank a quarter of it in one go.

"Tavi."

"Yes?"

"Is this the end?"

"What?"

"For us. Now that we have foals, where is there to go?"

"Well, we still have to raise them, Vinyl. I hope you don't think that'll just be a walk in the park."

"No, no, of course not. I'm just saying that we've really done everything, haven't we?"

"Everything we can, I suppose so. Huh, I guess this really is the final step isn't it?"

"It looks like it."

"But wait, don't you think that if we're rasing foals, and now two of them, we should get better jobs? At least one of us?"

"I guess so. Wait, haven't we already gone through this? Didn't we agree on police officer for me?"

Octavia sighed and looked at the floor. There was a moment of silence, and Vinyl thought she saw Octavia mutter something to herself.

"Ok, look. We did settle on you being a police officer. But I've been trying to get you away from that field."

"What? Why?"

"Vinyl, nopony's Bulletproof, ok? Policing is dangerous, and I don't want to lose you."

"Wait, so, that's why you've brought this up over and over? You were trying to get me to change my mind?"

"Yes, yes I was. Vinyl, we've just taken possibly the biggest step we could ever take together, and I don't want you to not be a part of that because you-"

Octavia was cut short when Vinyl wrapped her in a quick hug. Octavia hugged back, and wiped the teats from her eyes while Vinyl couldn't see them.

"Look, Octavia. I know our the track record shows that something will always go wrong, but think about this for a second. I lived out on the streets, I had to Suffer It All for, what, three years? I didn't have anything to defend myself, nopony to watch my back, no training of any kind, and I survived. I'm certain, that if I am out there as a cop, trained and armed, I'll be just fine."

A look of hard thinking spread across Octavia's face as she looked down at the floor.

"You're right. You're right again."

Octavia smiled as she looked back up at Vinyl, and quickly after leaped out to hug her again. As the embrace continued, the two heard the hospital doors slide open, and turned to see Lyra and Bon-Bon, rain soaked and smiling.

"Hey, bout time you two showed up."

"Yes, a little late, aren't you?"

"Sorry, we got locked out of your house, and we so convieniently just missed the train."

"We brought you this though."

Lyra levitated an already opened bottle of champagne in front of the other mares, and they smiled a little at the sight.

"Lyra, are you allowed to have that in here?"

"Probably not, so let's hurry up and do this."

Bon-Bon hastily setbthe four glasses down, and Lyra filled them with equal speed. Lyra set the bottle down and raised her glass in the middle of the group.

"Here's To The Heartache, to everything that's been fucked up all the way through. Here's to Vinyl and Octavia finally completing their journey together."

"I'll drink to that."

The four mares quickly drained their alcohol, and Bon-Bon took the glasses back. Lyra quickly and subtly put the bottle in a nearby garbage, and walked close to the hallway.

"Hey, can we go look at them?"

"Sure, let's go."

The group walked down the hallway and all the way down to the room where Flyleaf and Roulette, among others, were peacefully sleeping.

"Those two. That one is Flyleaf, and that one is Roulette."

"They're adorable Octavia."

"I know, I just can't wait to take them home. I'm actually going to be a mother."

Octavia, who was starting to break into tears of happiness, turned and hugged Bon-Bon. After a couple seconds, Octabia motioned the other two over.

"Ah what the hell."

Lyra and Vinyl ran up and joined the group hug, and the formation held for a full minute afterwards.

Derpy eased into the couch, having walked there with the aid of Doctor Whooves. She stared out the window and watched the sun starting to set on the cool summer evening, smiling at the fact that the February Winds no longer blew, and that her best friend in the world was now blessed with the greatest gift she could give. She turned to him and smiled as he laid beside her and stroked her mane.

"Thank you."

"No thanks needed sweetheart, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you."

There were a few moments of silence as the two continued to embrace the tranquility of the eveing and watch the sun set through the windows. Eventually, Doctor Wooves' curiosity got the better of him, and he had to speak.

"Sweetie?"

"Yes?"

"You think we made a good decision?"

"Of course. Do you?"

"Well, the better part of me says yes, however I feel a small, small amount of regret giving up our children. Of course it was for a good cause."

"And we can still see them."

"That too. I guess I just have a few regrets in general. But at a certain time you just decide that you've Had Enough. Do you?"

"Nope."

"Really? You think we've dome everything just right?"

"M-hm. No regrets."