Diamond in the Flames

Sweetie woke to find her head swimming in agony.

She groaned and stretched, then winced as all her joints ached as well. Going back to sleep on this soft bed was starting to look like a better idea with every painful passing second.

"I see you're awake." Rarity's beautiful voice filtered into her mind, a soothing balm to the tortures being inflicted on her. "Here, drink this." Sweetie felt a cup against her lips and opened her mouth, letting the cool water flow in. She didn't realize how thirsty she was, and how much her mouth had felt like it'd been stuffed with cotton, until the whole cup had been downed.

"Thanks." Sweetie finally opened her eyes. It was dark in their bedroom, which was good because it took several seconds for her to even be able to look at the sliver of light coming from the door without wincing.

"So, how much of the previous night do you remember?" Rarity asked after a few minutes, when Sweetie felt something resembling being alive again.

"Uhh..." A blur of colors and sensation crashed into Sweetie's brain as she tried to recall the memories of the night before. Rarity was still out of town, so Sweetie— "Wait, you're back?" Sweetie grinned. "This is the best surprise ever!" Even the pounding headache couldn't stop her joy at seeing Rarity before her scheduled return.

"That was the intention, yes." Rarity didn't seem very happy with this development. "Unfortunately, I came home to find that you had gone to the Cistern."

"Oh, right." That was why Sweetie could only remember colours and sounds. "If I'd known you were coming back, I wouldn't have gone," she reassured her sister.

"I would rather you had not gone at all," Rarity said. "You are well aware of the reputation of that venue."

The final piece of the puzzle locked into place. "Oh," she said again, quietly.

"Oh indeed." Rarity sounded very, very tired. "As you can imagine, there were plenty of cameras to document your indiscretions, as usual." Her horn glowed, and a newspaper floated out towards the bed.

It took a few tries before Sweetie managed to grab it with her own horn, but eventually she had it in front of her, the giant headlines readable even despite her current state. POP STAR SMOOCHES SISTER. "I guess the shorter the headline the bigger they can make it," Sweetie observed distantly, the rest of her mind busy processing the implications of what she was reading.

"It might have been easier to write off if you hadn't also named me as your marefriend and professed your romantic love to me," Rarity said. "This will be quite the mess to untangle."

"I'm sorry." Even to Sweetie's ears, the apology felt hollow.

"I would imagine you are." The worst part was, Rarity didn't even sound angry with Sweetie, just defeated. "Just as you were every other time you caused a scandal. And yet, here we are, faced with our biggest headline yet."

"We'll just say that the drugs made me really delirious," Sweetie said. "I had no idea what I was saying, and I was really horny, and I just fixated on someone randomly. The tabloids will have a field day, but if we lay low for a bit it'll just be something we can laugh off at events if ponies bring it up."

"And what about our friends and family?" Rarity asked. "I have a Friendship Council to attend next week, and the pieces will be much easier to put together for them than for the media."

"We'll figure something out," Sweetie promised. "We always do."

"Perhaps, but one day we shan't be able to." Rarity sighed. "I can't do this anymore, Sweetie. I love you with all my heart, but I can't keep wondering what sort of trouble you'll find yourself in next time we part. It's all too much."

"W-What are you saying?" Sweetie didn't like Rarity's tone. It was the tone of somepony who had already made a decision.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie," Rarity said. "I love you so very much, my dear. But I can't keep going on like this, I think it would be best if we gave ourselves some distance until things calm down. It will help with the rumours as well."

"No!" Sweetie tried to leap out of bed, but only succeeded in falling flat on her face, her legs still dangling off the edge. She took a few moments to right herself, fighting through the aches and pains in order to stand up straight and look Rarity in the eye. "I love you, Rarity, so, so much. I'll do anything for you. I'll behave from now on, I promise! Please don't leave me." Tears were streaming from her eyes now. "I need you, Rarity," Sweetie whispered through her sobs.

"I—" Rarity faltered, and Sweetie lunged forward, hugging her as tightly as possible.

"One more chance," Sweetie said. "I'll follow you on your trips, okay? And I'll talk to my agent and get our schedules lined up so we can always be together. You can keep an eye on me and take care of me like you always do."

She saw love win over fear in Rarity's eyes, as her big sister finally wrapped her forelegs around her and returned the hug. "One last chance," she said firmly.

"I promise," Sweetie said, her heart calming down now that she knew she wasn't going to lose Rarity. "I know I've been a real handful lately, and I want to make up for it." She grinned. "How about I make us breakfast, and then I eat you out until we both forget about all of this for a little while?"

"You're in no shape to cook," Rarity said. "I appreciate the offer, however. As for the other thing, let's see how the morning goes, hmm? There's still a number of paparazzi surrounding the building like sharks."

"Right." Sweetie had gotten into this mess, and she was going to get them out of it, for the last time. She made the commitment in her soul to stick with Rarity, so that she wouldn't be tempted to stray anymore.

And then, she'd show Rarity just how much she loved her big sister.