"Father! Please understand! I love her!" A golden grey earth pony pleaded, tears filling her eyes.

A dark grey earth pony with a black mane looked down at the mare he once called family. "Yes, you may think you love her, but family comes first, Octavia. It is a lesson you must learn if you are to be a part of it. One your brother Bitter has learned. Do you think when your mother and I married, we were in love with each other? But we married anyway for the good of the family. As you will do!"

"But father, please! I don't love him. I love Vinyl! I want to be me and she understands who that is!" Octavia cried, on the edge of sobbing.

"You don't know love!" Her father yelled back, glaring at his daughter. "Because if you did, you wouldn't choose that lowlife, no-good unicorn over your family!"

Octavia's eyes widened as she looked at her father, her heart cracking, taking a step back. "I…I didn't realize I…I had to. To…to choose."

"Of course you do! Haven't you been listening to any part of this conversation? Or are you as stupid as she is?!"

"Vinyl isn't stupid! She's one of the smartest ponies I know!" Octavia defended. She wouldn't let anypony talk about the mare she loved like that, no matter who they were.

"Oh, give me a break, Octavia! If she really did have a brain in that damn head of hers, she'd realize you're way out of her league and would've left you the hell alone!" Tenor Sonata yelled.

"Please, Father! Don't make me choose. Because I'll choose her. I will always choose her! I love her" Octavia begged, her ears flattening.

"Then I want nothing to do with you. You're no longer my daughter and you're no longer a part of this family. I refuse to let you stain our family's name all because you think you love a pathetic drunk."

Octavia turned to her mother, a tan unicorn with a dark brown mane with yellow streaks. "Mother…please…don't let him do this."

Harmony Sonata turned her head away from her daughter, tears filling her own eyes. "I'm not your mother. So long as you consort with that…that whore."

Octavia took another step back, shaking her head. Tears filled her eyes as she felt her heart shatter. Before she could change her mind, she turned her back on her parents and bolted out of the mansion, tears streaming down her face. She ran to the one place she knew she'd still have sanctuary.

She burst into the apartment building in the slums of Canterlot and ran up the rusted staircase. She got to the apartment number she was looking for and urgently knocked, not stopping until the pony behind it answered.

"Alright alright, I'm comin'. Hold your damn horses. I'm sure whatever it is, it can wait five sec…" The white unicorn mare with an electric blue mane stopped when she saw Octavia on the other side, her face tearstained, her eyes red, looking just about ready to collapse. "Tavi? What are you doing here? What happened? Are you–"

Vinyl was cut off with the grey earth pony embraced her in a hug so tight, that it nearly choked the white unicorn. Hesitantly, Vinyl wrapped her own hooves around Octavia, rubbing her back and her mane.

"Tavi? What…what happened? Why…why are you crying?" Vinyl asked in a whisper.

"It's…it's a-a…a long story," Octavia managed to stammer out in between uncontrollable sobs that racked her whole body. "Is…is it o…okay if I…I s-stay here w-with you f-for a b-bit? P-please?"

Vinyl rubbed Octavia's back. "Of course, Tavi. I love you. Whatever you need, just say the word and I'll give it to you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You…you saved me. I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

"T-thank y-you V-Vinyl. I…I l-love you t-too…"

"Tavi?" A voice called, startling the gray earth pony.

Octavia Melody looked up at a white unicorn with an electric blue mane. Her sunglasses were off, meaning she was just being herself at the moment. Whenever she put her purple sunglasses on, mentally, she'd have the DJ PON-3 persona. It was how she kept her work life separate from her home one.

"You okay?" Vinyl Scratch asked, a concerned look on her face.

Octavia sighed, looking down at her half-eaten breakfast. "Umm…yes. I'm…I'm fine. Just uh…" Octavia swallowed, shaking her head. "Lost in thought…I-I guess."

She blinked back tears, hoping Vinyl wouldn't see them, as the dream she had last night played through her mind. She hated how thinking about them always brought tears to her eyes, even after all these years. But…she wouldn't let that day or her parents ruin the happy life she's built here in Ponyville, with the best marefriend she could ever ask for. And even though they weren't rich and struggled to pay the bills sometimes, she wouldn't trade it for the world. Not if it meant she'd lose Vinyl.

Octavia glanced up at Vinyl and, seeing the unicorn was unconvinced just by her expression, she cleared her throat and changed the subject. "So…got any performances today or…" Octavia trailed off, knowing that even if Vinyl wasn't performing, that wouldn't exactly mean she was free.

"Naw," Vinyl says, leaning back on her chair so that it sat on its back two legs, waving a dismissive hoof. "My next gig is tomorrow night. But I was hoping to play around a bit and juggle around a few beats. I'm workin' on something new, but it doesn't sound right. I don't know what it is. Maybe I should just change the length of the crossfade or maybe it's the hook that's not sittin' right, I don't know."

"Well, I don't know too much bout DJing, but I do know from my experience with the cello and the orchestra that changing the pitch and tempo can completely change a song," Octavia advised.

Vinyl groaned, dropping her head on the table, and moving her plate out of the way using her magic. "I've tried that but it still doesn't sound right. It's almost there, I can feel it, but it's missing…something. I don't know what it is, but I do know when I find it, this beat will be legendary."

"Well, perhaps you just need a new perspective. I'd be happy to listen to a sample if you'd like. Maybe I can shine some light on it for you."

"Thanks, Tavi. That'd be great. I'll give you the cassette tape for it. Oh yeah, and you have that gig at the concert hall tonight, huh? You said it's pretty major?"

"It's called a performance, Vinyl, not a gig. And yes, it's incredibly important. Scouts from the Canterlot Symphony will be attending, and rumor has it they'll be picking three musicians out of the whole Orchestra to audition for it!" Octavia rambled, her excitement growing, evident from her growing smile.

Vinyl listened intently. She hardly understood some of the things Octavia was talking about, but Vinyl hadn't seen Octavia this excited in months. And whatever made her marefriend happy, made Vinyl even happier.

"Oh, and guess what? Rumors say that they're looking for a cellist. I mean, I asked the conductor if he even thought I'd have a chance to be chosen, because, well I didn't want to get my hopes up if I didn't even have a chance, and guess what! He said it's a very real possibility! Can you believe it? Me, Octavia Melody, from small town Ponyville, part of the Canterlot Symphony! It'll change our lives Vinyl. It'll open doors we never thought possible! Who knows? Maybe I'll finally be able to play solo! All my dreams are coming together, I just know it!"

Vinyl couldn't help but have a smile as big as Octavia's. It was rare for Octavia to be so excited about something. She was usually so level-headed and kept her emotions in check.

And while Vinyl didn't know much about orchestras or classical music, or sonatas, or stuff like that, it wasn't her kind of music, she wasn't a total idiot. She knew all about the Canterlot Symphony. Mostly from Octavia. It was her dream to be a part of it. To be noticed by all of Equestria. And she was on her way to becoming that.

"I'm so happy for you, Tavi. I know this is the opportunity you've been waiting for your whole life. And I know you'll get in. You're the best cello player I know."

"A cellist. Not a cello player. And I'm the only cellist you know." Octavia corrected, raising an eyebrow.

"Doesn't change the fact that you're the best. Or the sexiest."

Vinyl leaned in, giving Octavia a deep kiss from across the table. Their hearts raced as their bodies grew hot from the attraction they had for each other.

And then the doorbell rang. And then, before the doorbell even stopped ringing, there was an urgent knock, as though the doorbell wasn't enough to get their attention.

Vinyl groaned while Octavia softly smiled. "Why don't I get it while you clean up breakfast? Then you can finish up that new beat you're working on." Vinyl looked at Octavia's half-eaten breakfast, looking back up at Octavia with a concerned look. "Don't worry about me. I'm just…not very hungry."

Before Vinyl could say anything, Octavia quickly hurried to the door. She loved Vinyl dearly, but there were just some things in Octavia's past that she didn't want to tell Vinyl. Things Vinyl didn't need to know.

Octavia looked out the peephole of their small house, seeing a pony she didn't expect to see. It was a gray pegasus pony with yellow wall eyes, looking in different directions. She had a brown mailpony uniform.

"Derpy Hooves? Nice to see you. What…what are you doing here?" Octavia asked, pleasantly surprised. Derpy was always a good friend. After Pinkie Pie, she was the first one to introduce herself to Octavia and Vinyl.

She handed Octavia a letter, and once the letter was given, she said in that voice that always seemed like it was spaced out, "You have a letter."

"Huh," Octavia said, confused. "I wasn't expecting any mail today." She mumbled, putting the letter in her hoof so she could see the name of the sender on the back.

Derpy just shrugged. "You have a letter addressed to you. Oh, it is addressed to you, right? I don't usually make mistakes when it comes to giving the wrong mail to the wrong ponies, but…"

"No, it is," Octavia mumbled, squinting at the return address, the full weight of it not sinking in yet.

"Oh, good," Derpy said in a relieved voice. "So who's it from?"

"My…mother…" Octavia whispered, staring at the envelope as tears filled her eyes.

"Oh, well, that's nice of her. Well, I have to go! I have a lot more mail to deliver and I'm running a bit behind. Bye, Octy!"

"Bye…Derpy…" Octavia muttered, but the gray pegasus had already clumsily flown off.

Octavia sat in the doorway, holding the letter with both hooves, tears in her eyes, and the door still wide open. She swallowed nervously before turning the envelope back around and opening it.

She pulled the letter out and read over it silently, tears building in her eyes as her breath caught and her heart stopped. Octavia read the letter multiple times before it seemed to finally sink in.

No. That…that wasn't possible. Octavia scoffed mentally. Well, of course it was possible. It happened to everypony eventually. But…it always felt like those closest to her were immune to the fate that befell everypony who wasn't an alicorn. So, to get this news…

Octavia hadn't spoken or even seen him in over ten years. Not since…that day. It surprised her with how much it hurt still, despite already losing him. But reading this letter, it was like she was a sixteen-year-old mare all over again. It was as though nothing had changed. Her heart still shattered. Her face still paled. Grief still overtook her whole being.

"Hey, Tavi. Was that Derpy? How's she doing? Did she have something to deliver, or was she visiting on her break? I only ask because she still has my headphones I let her borrow and it's already been like, two months. Which is cool if she still needs them, I was just…" Vinyl stopped when she noticed her marefriend was just sitting in the doorway, the door wide open. She barely reacted when Vinyl walked in.

Vinyl walked closer until she was just behind Octavia. "Tavi? Tavi, is everything okay? Tavi?"

Octavia slowly turned her tear-streaked face towards Vinyl, her eyes red from the silent tears. "Vinyl…" She started, her voice hitching from a broken sob. "It's my father. He's…he's…" Octavia broke off into a sob, tears gushing from her eyes.

Vinyl gathered her up in her hooves, holding her as she sobbed into her chest. Vinyl had no clue what this was about, but she didn't need to. All she needed was to be there for Octavia, however she needed her to be. That was love. That was what she promised when they became a couple a decade ago.

So, without asking why, without any hesitation, Vinyl held Octavia close as she sobbed into Vinyl's chest, Vinyl's heart breaking right along with hers. She hated seeing her Tavi so hurt, so upset, and she just wanted to take away her pain. So while that was impossible, she took on as much of her marefriend's pain as she could, hoping to relieve the burden it created, a burden Octavia feared would crush her at any moment.

And that was how they stayed for a long while. The two of them curled on the floor in front of the open front door, Octavia in Vinyl's hooves, sobbing her heart out, Vinyl doing her best to comfort her grieving marefriend…

"Your…your father's dying?" Vinyl asked, her mouth open in shock. Octavia only nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

After about ten minutes of sobbing, Octavia had told Vinyl they needed to talk. Octavia knew this was going to be a long talk, so she had taken Vinyl to their bedroom and they were both sitting on the small bed they shared.

"Your father's dying…" Vinyl repeated, her eyes still wide with shock.

"Yes, Vinyl. I got that the first three times I read the letter." Octavia mumbled sarcastically.

"Sorry, Tavi, it's just that…I thought your parents were already dead?" Vinyl said though she stated it as a question.

Octavia sighed. This was exactly why she didn't want Vinyl asking about her past. Why she avoided any questions about whether she was okay or not. She didn't want to bring up her dream, thus bringing up her parents, and…everything. It was something that'd only hurt Vinyl by bringing up and something that'd do neither of them any good.

"They might as well have been…" Octavia muttered. At Vinyl's confused look, she clarifies. "When I was sixteen, my parents and I had a…falling out. Let's just say…I was kicked out and we haven't spoken to each other since."

It took a moment, but Vinyl's eyes widened with realization. "That day…when…when you came to my apartment in tears…back in Canterlot…"

Octavia sighed before nodding. "Yeah. They had just kicked me out."

"But…why? What happened between you and your parents? Why would they…?"

Octavia swallowed, blinking back tears as she thought about that day. How much her parents broke her heart all because she loved somepony else and was willing to act on that love. Because she didn't want to be stuck in a loveless marriage that had been planned out for her for the 'good of the family'. She wanted more from life. And now that she finally got it, it was at the price of her father.

"I…I made my own choices. Choices my parents didn't…necessarily agree with. Choices they said would stain the family name. They said that as long as I continued making those choices…I'm no longer welcome in their lives."

"Whoa…so your family is like…nobility?" Vinyl asked, raising both of her eyebrows.

"Yep," Octavia responded with another heavy sigh. "The Sonata Family."

Vinyl's eyes widened as she gaped at Octavia. She's heard of the Sonata Family. Sure, she wasn't well-versed in classical music and the only famous ponies she ever really cared to follow up on were those who knew how to work a turntable, but even she'd heard of the Sonata Family. Every musician of any genre of music has heard of them. The only way somepony couldn't have heard of them and still play music is if they've been living under a damn rock. And even then…

"B-but your last name's Melody. Not…not Sonata!"

"Yes. My father made me change it. He said if I couldn't open my damn eyes and do what's right for the family name, I didn't deserve to have it."

Vinyl was silent for a moment before she finally asked, "So if you don't mind me asking, what was it about? The argument, I mean. What was it about?"

Octavia looked down at her hooves, taking a deep breath. She almost told Vinyl it wasn't important. That it didn't matter. But she knew Vinyl had a right to know. Besides, they were dating. If Octavia couldn't trust Vinyl with this, why the hell were they still together?

"Well…I umm…I found love. My parents didn't approve of her, and instead of putting my family first, that's where I put my heart. And since my parents didn't want me staining their name or embarrassing them with my relationship with her, they disowned me."

"Tavi…" Vinyl whispered, sympathy and heartbreak for Octavia's loss tearing her up inside. Vinyl leaned in and hugged her tightly. "I'm so sorry…"

Tears filled Octavia's eyes, but she smiled through them, wondering how the hell she got so lucky. "Don't be, Vinyl. It turns out that she ended up being the love of my life, so…I don't regret it one bit."

Vinyl froze as realization hit her. She separated herself from Octavia. "It…it was me, wasn't it? I'm the reason your parents ditched you."

Octavia quickly shook her head. "No. No, you're not. It was their own blindness and stubbornness that caused them to push me away. Not you, Vinyl. You just made them show their true priorities, that's all. I don't blame you, nor will I ever. I love you, Vinyl, and nothing will change that."

Vinyl sighed, running a hoof through her mane. "Still, though, I'm sorry. I…I never meant to get in the way of you and your parents…"

"You didn't, Vinyl. They did. It was their decision to push me away, not yours." Octavia sighed, looking back down at the letter in her hooves. "That's…that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. You see…my father actually wants to make amends. Well, according to my mother, at least. He…he has regrets and…he wants to see me…"

"Do you?" Vinyl asked softly.

Octavia closed her eyes. "I…I don't know. I just…I know I have to. If…if my father truly wants to make amends and regrets what he did, if there's even the slightest chance, I know I have to at least hear him out. I'd never forgive myself if I didn't. Even if he doesn't, I have to face him one last time before…before he's gone forever."

Vinyl was silent for another moment before she took a deep breath. "Alright. Fine. I'll come with you."

Octavia snapped her head up, looking at Vinyl with wide eyes, caught off guard. "What? No. Vinyl I…I can't let you do this…I–"

"Luckily, you didn't ask. I offered." Vinyl corrected with a loving smile. "What? You thought I'd let my bae go see her stiff parents after ten years of radio silence by herself. Never."

"B-but…Vinyl. You…you have a life here…your gig tomorrow night…you can't just uproot that all because–"

"A life that can be put on pause for a bit. As for my gig tomorrow, it's no biggie. It's just for one of Pinkie's parties. I can just record the set I planned on playing and give her the disc. I'm sure she can handle the rest. Besides, she'll understand."

"B-but my parents hate you…" Octavia argued, desperate for any reason why Vinyl shouldn't go. She loved Vinyl, and she loved the idea of Vinyl accompanying her, but…it was a lot to ask of her. Especially considering who her parents were.

Vinyl waved a dismissive hoof. "I'm a DJ. Dealing with haters is in the job description." Vinyl then grabbed both of Octavia's hooves, looking her directly in the eyes. "I love you, Tavi. All of you. And no matter what, whatever trials come our way, I'll be by your side through every single one. Even if those trials are hateful parents with multiple sticks up their asses." Octavia giggled at that last part. "Nothing will ever change that. You're stuck with me until you say otherwise. Promise."

Tears filled Octavia's eyes as she smiled up at Vinyl, her heart warming as she remembered why she even fell in love with Vinyl in the first place. This small gesture meant the world to her, and she wished Vinyl understood just how happy it made her.

So, she hugged Vinyl tightly. "Thank you, Vinyl. You have no idea just how much it means to me. You have no idea how much I need you there."

"I'll always be there for you, Tavi. No matter what."

Author's Note

New story…

I know that I already have two uncompleted stories still, but…a recent event in my life inspired this story. Someone I thought I'd never see again came seeking reconciliation and the way they left things the first time I saw them…didn't end well. So…it stirred up complicated feelings, inspiring this.

Hope you enjoy it. I might be focusing on this story for a bit while emotions are a bit more raw.

Hakuna Matata