Aftermath

Eight months, ten days, thirty minutes and fifteen seconds ago I lost my mother figure. My only real family I ever had. Don't ask why or how I have it memorized down to the last second because i honestly don't have an answer. Ponies always ask me what the hardest part is after living through something like this. I just look at them and say, "Trying to get through the day without breaking down crying".

Waking up each day in this empty castle is so hard. Everyday I walk into Twilights room or the library or the room with the map expecting her to be rambling about something exciting she learned or a new book she discovered. Everyday it's the same thing. The loneliness. The memories. The anger I feel. I hate to admit it, but some of that anger is at Twilight. If she hadn't agreed to go to Canterlot that day, maybe she wouldn't have left me alone. And a little anger toward myself, maybe if I had been there I could have done something to protect my mom.

"SPIKE!"

Okay maybe not all alone, I must admit.
Looking up from my musing stood my wife, Cloudchaser. Yes Cloudchaser, not Rarity or anything but a Pegasus. Nobody has seen Rarity since we were told what happened. Besides I knew Rarity would never love me back, not in the way I wanted at least.

"Sorry CC, I was thinking. What's up?", I said forcing a smile at my wife.

"I brought you food I made", she replied walking up and nuzzling me.

"Oh thanks", I say looking at the lunch my wife brought. Cloudchaser wasn't the best cook in all Equestria, but she tried her hardest and I wasn't gonna tell her the truth. I started eating what she had brought.

Sitting down next to me, draping a wing over my back, she gave me a knowing look. "Were you thinking about Twilight?" She questioned me.

I choked a bit on my pasta, looking up at her. "Was it that obvious?"

"Spike", she sighed, "you always get a look on your face when you're thinking about her. It's a distant look in your eyes and you stare at the general direction where her room was".

I nodded sadly, "yeah I was thinking about mom. I just can't say what I feel right now".

Nodding sadly, she looked at me. "I understand. It's not your fault, Spike"

Startled, I looked up her. "How the hell isn't it" she flinched and I immediately felt terrible, i knew she hated when I got this way and cussed. "If I didn't agree to stay home like she suggested, maybe she would still be alive today. She absolutely loved you. I just wish she could be here to see all that she's missing. The Pies kids growing up, the statue of her downtown where the library used to be. We even have a Twilight Day now". I finished my rant, starting to cry a bit. I felt Cloudchaser slow wipe them away as she lifted my chin up and kissed me hard. For a few seconds, everything disappeared. All my worries were gone as I closed my eyes and kissed back.

"Do you remember the day we met?" Cloudchaser questioned smiling at me.

"Of course I do", I replied. "It was one of the best days of my life".

"SPIKE!" Twilight yelled, running into my room. I rolled over, covering my head with a pillow.

"Mom, what time is it?" I mumbled from under the pillow.

"It's eight am Spike. I need you to go downtown and get me all the quills and parchment before it's all sold. I have lots of writing to do today".

I moaned and snuggled deeper into my bed. "Just five more minutes please" I begged.

"No Spike!", Twilight said yanking my blankets off with her magic and I instantly sat up glaring at her. "This is an emergency! I'm all out of my supplies. Even my back up emergency stash that I created as a back up for the first emergency stash is empty!"

"Sweet Celestia", I mumbled.

"What was that Spike?"

"Nothing I said I'll be right down", I answered, rubbing my eyes.

Twilight just beamed at me. "You're the greatest Spike, I wouldn't know what to do without you".

Twenty minutes later, I was rushing around Ponyville. I got the quills first because the store was closest to the castle. I was so focused at staring down at my list, I never saw the pony in front of me until I was lying down on the ground.

"Watch it!" I heard a voice yell. Looking up, I saw a stunning sight. A purple colored Pegasus with blueish white mane staring down at me. "Oh shit, sorry Spike", she picked me up with a wing and all the stuff with her mouth, dropping them into a bag. "I didn't realize it was you".

"Oh, it's all okay, I really should have paid more attention", I said.

"I'm sorry as well, I shouldn't have snapped at you" the Pegasus smiled down at me. "Twilight having you do some errands for her?"

I nodded. "Yep. She woke me up at eight in the morning. Too early for this". I gave an exaggerated yawn.

"Well", the mare in front of me began to speak, "I'm free all day if you want some company"

I thought about it and said, "Sure why not? Might be fun".

The purple Pegasus in front of me blushed ever so slightly. "Well lead the way!"

"And if I remember correctly, that wasn't even the best part of your day" Cloudchaser smirked at the dragon sitting next to her cuddled under her wing.

I grinned back because I knew she was right.

For hours we wandered around Ponyville, even after I got my errands for Twilight done. She asked me what it was like living in a castle, i asked how it was like to fly. As we approached Roselucks flower stand, I told Cloudchaser to wait here. "What, why?" She questioned me confused.

"Hey Spike" Roseluck greeted me happily, leaning over and rubbing my head with a hoof. "How's my favorite dragon?"

"Roseluck, I'm the only dragon you know", I pointed out.

"Exactly why you're my favorite dragon"- she replied laughing. "What can I get ya?"

"Do you have any dwarf iris?" I questioned the cream mare.

"Oh but of course", the mare nodded reaching over and picking up one with her mouth. "This for Rarity, i assume?"

I shook my head and pointed at a blushing Cloudchaser. "It's for her".

Roseluck grinned widely,"I see I see. You two are adorable".

I turned a bright shade of red. "W-we're only friends" I stammered out.

Roseluck did what I thought impossible and her grin only got bigger. "If you say so", she teased. "Flower is on the house".

Walking back to Cloudchaser, I blushed the whole way.

"And whatever is that Spike?" Cloudchaser teased, blushing herself.

"I uh got you this", I said shyly.

Smiling, Cloudchaser knelt down as I put the flower in her mane.

"You're gorgeous", I blurted out and immediately covered my mouth.

"You think so?" Cloudchaser asked in surprise.

"Yes. I do. Why are you surprised?", I questioned.

Making a circle with her hoof in the dirt, she finally said,"Nopony has ever called me that before. Hot and pretty yes, but never gorgeous".

"Well, they're missing out", I replied.

Cloudchaser looked to be fighting internally with her self and suddenly leaned down and kissed me. I was blown away. I'd never been kissed before like this. It was incredible.

After a few moments, she pulled away both of us panting slightly.

"Spike there you are", I heard a familiar voice shout out and Twilight trotted up. "I've been searching everywhere-" she suddenly stopped, noticing me and Cloudchaser blushing, a thin strand of saliva connecting us.

Twilight grinned and started clapping her hooves excitedly. "Oh my stars. I'm so happyyyyy!" She squeeled.

A few months later, Twilight agreed to help me introduce my marefriend to the others. Walking into the room, I took in the sight: Rainbow laying on her chair napping lazily, Pinkie floating on a balloon, Applejack eating an apple, Fluttershy talking to a small spider (evil damn things) and Rarity sewing.

"Hey uh guys", I stammer.

"Howdy Spike", Applejack grinned.

"Hello darling".

"Hi", Fluttershy whispered.

"HI SPIKE", Pinke screamed from her balloon.

A snore came from Rainbow. Rolling her eyes, Applejack chucked her eaten apple at Rainbows head.

Shooting up to the ceiling, Rainbow yelped.

"Spike has an announcement, now get down here".

I nodded gratefully at Applejack. "I uhm have somepony special I want you all to meet".

"Ooh ooh who is it?", Pinkie yelled.

"You can come in" i called out and Cloudchaser floated in, flapping her wings.

"Cloudchaser?" Rainbow looked confused, "why are you here?"

Taking a deep breath, I spoke. "She's my marefriend". Silence filled the room till Applejack said "well I'll be darned. Little ol Spike growing up".

Rainbow flew over and hoofbumped Cloudchaser grinning.

Pinke and Fluttershy hugged me excitedly. Rarity gave a slightly forced smile.

"You know what I loved about Twilight?", Cloudchaser questioned Spike.

"What?"

"On our wedding day, she put the fear of Luna into me if I ever hurt you. She was so caring about you and I felt honored she trusted me to marry you".

"Oh god what if I fall?" Cloudchaser panicked.

Rainbow and Twilight sighed and rolled their eyes. "For the last bucking time, you are gonna do fine. You're gonna walk down the aisle, say 'I do' and marry Spike. Simple", Rainbow said sternly.

"I'm so scared. What if he doesn't like my dress or what if he gets bored of me?"

Twilight facehoofed,"You two have been dating for 10 months. If he was gonna leave, wouldn't he have done it by now?"

Cloudchaser nodded slowly. "I suppose that makes sense".

"I gotten get in position",Rainbow said. "You're gonna do great", she added throwing me a reassuring smile and flew out the room.

"Well looks like you're all ready", Twilight said.

I nodded, anxiety calmed and grinned and we started to walk to the main part of the castle.

"Oh and Cloudchaser", Twilight called out to me,"If you ever hurt him, so help me Celestia ill bury you".

I gulped and nodded.

"The wedding went off perfectly. We exchanged our vows, Rainbow did a sonic rainboom when I kissed Cloudy and that was that", Spike said closing the portrait book.

Years had gone by and Spike had a white beard and a cane. On his lap sat a dragon and a Pegasus filly.

"Wasn't mommy a Wonderbolt reservist?", the filly asked.

I laughed and said, "Yes Snow Storm, she was".

Cloudchasers kids snuggled up into me, slowly falling asleep and I carried them to bed.

I never forgot Twilight after that horrible year. I was there for all of her friends funerals: Rainbows, Applejacks, Lyra's, Bon Bon and Fluttershy. The hardest one of all was my wife's. Losing Cloudchaser, I lost another part of me. She was without a doubt the best thing to ever happen to me.

I always told our kids about their grandmother and their mom. I always made them know Twilight would have loved them like her own kids. And that Cloudy would be so proud of the filly (and dragon) they'd become. I knew I was.

Spike died ten years later, his kids buried him in between Twilight and Cloudchaser, his beloved wife. As he requested. He and Cloudchasers kids passed down Twilights story to their kids and so on as he also wanted. Twilight's acts and memory was never forgotten. If you look closely in the castle, you can see Twilight, her friend's, Spike and Cloudchaser and hear laughing and conversations if you listen close enough.